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Is progress finally on the horizon for new internal ferries for Orkney – or is it just a case of task force deja vu?

Orkney Council Leader James Stockan.
Orkney Council Leader James Stockan. Image: Orkney Islands Council.

A ferries taskforce is being set up to tackle the issue of replacing Orkney’s aging vessels.

It has been hailed as a welcome step in the right direction – but have we heard all this before?

Ahead of the Scottish Budget announcement last week, council leader James Stockan wrote to deputy first minister John Swinney.

In his letter, he laid out the cost of delivering what the council sees as a fairer funding deal for the county’s ferries.

Among Mr Stockan’s asks was an additional aircraft for the isles’ internal service.

The council estimates the cost of all this to come in at over £443 million.

However, the isles council and the Scottish Government’s stalemate over the situation has been the status quo for decades.

Mr Stockan said the council was now “pushing the door ferociously” on the issue.

As he has in the past, he said, if there was no movement, the council would be speaking to Westminster.

So, many in the isles were pleasantly surprised when Mr Swinney replied to the council leader soon after the announcement of the Scottish Budget.

The deputy first minister said he is committed to a process that would see the renewal of Orkney’s internal ferries fleet.

This would begin with the establishment of a ferries task force made up of Scottish Government and Orkney council representatives.

Is progress finally on the horizon?

This group would begin its work, fleshing out a business case, next month.

The task force’s findings would feed into the budget-setting process in 2023, Mr Swinney has said.

Mr Stockan was pleased with the development, calling Mr Swinney’s reply “extremely promising” and the situation feels like it has “turned a corner”.

However, no promises have been made and no cash has been committed.

Orkney MSP Liam McArthur.

Orkney’s MSP Liam McArthur was asked for his reaction. He pointed out that the establishment of the new task force has happened before.

Déjà vu?

Mr McArthur said: “The establishment of a ferries task force is to be welcomed.

“However, it is not the first such task force to be launched by this Scottish Government.

“Former Transport Minister, Humza Yousaf made a similar pledge to people in Orkney back in 2018.”

Mr McArthur said the previous group rarely met and had no real ministerial input.

Eventually, it “went the same way as the SNP pledges on RET” for the county, he said.

“Given the importance of these lifeline services, that can’t be allowed to happen again.

“If Mr Swinney is serious about wanting to find a resolution to this long-running saga, he can’t announce and retreat.

“He must stay the course.

“He must make clear that he expects to see this task force agree a plan for delivering the new ferries.

“Orkney’s island communities need and deserve nothing less.”

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