Helliar not suitable for Pentland Firth route, says McArthur
Jim TaitA complaint has been made about the suitability of the Shetland cargo vessey Helliar, which is currently standing in on the Pentland Firth route while the Hamnavoe is being refitted.
Orkney MSP Liam McArthur on Thursday brought the matter to the attention of First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, after disabled passenger Terri-Jane White was unable to travel due to lack of accessibility.
Mr McArthur called on Ms Sturgeon to apologise to those affected by what he termed “the inadequate cover” provided on the Stromness-Scrabster route during the refit period.
He asked the First Minister to “explain what steps her government took to ensure a more appropriate replacement vessel was identified”. He drew her attention to the specific case of Ms White, a young wheelchair user and UHI student rep.
Ms Sturgeon said it was “deeply regrettable that any person, particularly somebody with a disability, didn’t have the standard on a transport system that they would expect”.
The First Minister also confirmed she would ask transport minister Humza Yousaf to address the issues with Serco NorthLink and communicate directly with Mr McArthur.
After the exchange Mr McArthur said: “Planned maintenance is an essential part of making sure that our lifeline ferry services run smoothly. However, it isn’t acceptable that a freight vessel was brought in to operate the Stromness-Scrabster route.
“A number of constituents have been in touch with me about the problems they have faced over recent weeks. Perhaps the most striking has be the case of Terri-Jane White, a UHI student rep with fibromyalgia who was unable to travel due to the lack of wheelchair accessibility on the Helliar. She, quite rightly, asks how a replacement ferry in 2018 is not accessible for wheelchair users.
“While it will be little comfort to passengers who have been affected over recent weeks, the First Minister has at least made clear in Parliament today that is isn’t acceptable that anyone, particularly those with a disability, should not have access to a decent standard of travel.
“She has instructed the transport minister to raise these issues with NorthLink but it is clear that the minister must do more to identify and help secure a more suitable replacement vessel in future.
“This is not the first time a freight vessel has been used in these circumstances. It must, though, be the last.”
Alvin Leong
The MV Pentalina is wheelchair accessible.
http://www.pentlandferries.co.uk/frequently-asked-questions/
John Tulloch
Pentland Ferries MV Pentalina is, of course, privately owned and receives no subsidy from the SNP Scottish government.
It competes with and wins business from the subsidised NorthLink, so successfully that its owners are replacing it with a bigger ship.
Bill Adams
It seems to me that Mr McArthur is obtusely ignoring the fact,
in order to try and score a political debating point,
that there is an alternative daily ferry route to Caithness
across the Pentland Firth.
At least we in Shetland no longer have to put up with the totally
unacceptable situation of either the Hrossey or the Hjaltland
being taken off the Lerwick-Aberdeen route to cover for the Hamnavoe.
John Tulloch
WIth respect, Bill, the availability of an alternative, unsubsidised, privately run service is hardly the point. The point is, rather, that the service provided by the SNP Scottish government, subsidised by taxpayers, has reportedly proved unusable for a disabled person due to lack of wheelchair access facilities and that is an issue that needs to be addressed.
kenneth groat
The Helliar standing in for the Hamnavoe is not suitable for disabled passengers, and a more suitable vessel should be used in future. Nearer home our inter island ferry standby vessels are not suitable either be it push chairs prams elderly or disabled and to have passengers stuck on the car decks because of restrictions is poor. Unfortunately with no funding for new vessels and or tunnels passengers will continue to suffer.