NorthLink to halve sailings to Orkney and Shetland

The ferry operator is to take one of its vessels off the Northern Isles route from Sunday.

MV Hrossey, which operates the Aberdeen-Lerwick route. Picture: Serco.

NorthLink said a new “temporary timetable” until at least 3 May would “continue to provide a lifeline service whilst reflecting travel demand during the Covid-19 outbreak.”

It said Scottish Government-advised restrictions to limit passengers to only “necessary travel” had led to a significant reduction in traffic.

Only island residents, key workers and those travelling to provide medical support to family members are permitted to travel in the ferries.

Nightly sailings from Aberdeen to Lerwick would be reduced to Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays only.

Lerwick to Aberdeen journeys will be on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.

The Aberdeen to Kirkwall route will be served on Thursdays and Sundays.

Kirkwall to Aberdeen sailings will be on Wednesdays and Fridays.

However, NorthLink’s freight service will continue to provide daily sailings to and from the Northern Isles.

Its separate passenger link between Scrabster in Caithness and Stromness in Orkney will also remain twice daily.

NorthLink said the timetable would be “extended further as required in tandem with any restrictions on movement advice received.”

It also warned passengers there may be other changes to services at short notice.

Managing director Stuart Garrett said: “We will continually review the changing situation and shape our response in line with the most recent guidance from [Scottish] Government and health officials.

“It’s for this reason we are now introducing a temporary revised timetable to support essential lifeline services while responding to the reduction in passenger footfall.”

Outsourcing firm Serco, operates NorthLink under a Scottish Government contract, and also runs the Caledonian Sleeper franchise.

It has closed shops, cinemas and bars on its ferries, which have 117 en-suite cabins and normally carry 347,000 passengers a year.

News of the reductions follows west coast ferry operator CalMac announcing its traffic had dropped by 95 per cent following the introduction of travel restrictions.Britain’s biggest ferry firm by routes said it had carried 2,593 since last week compared to 57,233 over the same period last year.Some ferries are running with a single passenger along with key freight.

Managing director Robbie Drummond said: “It is hugely encouraging the public are paying attention to the [Scottish] Government advice of do not travel unless your journey is absolutely essential,

‘We are fully committed to keeping lifeline services running to the islands we support, bringing in food, fuel and medical supplies and taking off goods vital to keeping local economies running.

“The vast majority of people are getting that message loud and clear and we are only turning away a very small number at our ports.”

Lorries and other commercial vehicles were down by nearly one third last month compared to 2019.

“This has been an extremely challenging time for our staff and our communities, and I want to praise both for the way in which they have handed these unique circumstances.”

CalMac has insisted lorry drivers provide evidence they are carrying essential goods or providing essential services before being allowed to board.

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