Fully committed

I REFER to the letter you published on 19 March in relation to the award of the contract for the ferry service that operates between Mallaig and the Knoydart peninsula.

Highland Council is committed to supporting rural and island communities and invests a significant amount of money through subsidies for the 
majority of public transport services which operate outwith the Moray Firth area, together with investment in large capital projects including new ferry terminals at Inverie, the Small Isles, and Raasay. As a public body we also have a responsibility to ensure that we achieve value for money and part of that process involves tendering for services. In the case of the ferry serving Knoydart, the tender process provided an opportunity to extend the existing three-day-a-week service to a seven-day-a-week service at a significantly reduced cost.

When council representatives met the community in February to explain the options, it was apparent that opinions were divided, some in favour of retaining the current service, and others keen to see an extended and more frequent service. There have also been concerns expressed over passenger safety. All the relevant checks have been carried out to ensure that the new provider meets all safety requirements. Highland Council will continue to support rural and island communities. While doing that, we need to be receptive to alternative ways of providing services, some of which have remained unchanged for years.

Graham Phillips

Chairman of Highland Council’s transport, environmental and community services committee