Over 1,300 sign petition demanding NorthLink reverse discount decision
Ryan Nicolson
More than 1,300 people have signed a petition in 24 hours calling for NorthLink to reinstate its on-board islander discount.
The ferry operator came in for fierce criticism yesterday after it was revealed the 20 per cent discount had been quietly withdrawn.
Isles politicians Beatrice Wishart and Alistair Carmichael have both urged NorthLink to reverse the decision.
And Mr Carmichael said the petition’s response showed the “overwhelming strength of feeling” about the news.
“The company appears to have forgotten in the run up to Christmas that Scrooge was not supposed to be a role model,” he said.
“As much as the content of NorthLink’s action, people are rightly angry about the way that they have gone about it, without consultation or even any meaningful notice.”
Ms Wishart said that folk had demonstrated they will not stand for NorthLink’s decision.
“People are not choosing NorthLink through a sense of loyalty, nor is it necessarily a reflection on the service they encounter.
“People need to travel and it is a long journey to the mainland. Those on restricted budgets should not be forced to choose between eating and anything else when travelling on a lifeline service.”
The petition can be viewed here: https://www.alistaircarmichael.co.uk/northlinkdiscountnow
Mark Lansbury
Serco seem to think they should make obsess profits for shareholders (and themselves) after their experiences with England’s ‘Test & Trace’ £54 BILLION — which cost more than the Hinkley Point C.
David Spence
It is a classic example of a company taking full advantage of its monopoly on such a contract and by maximising its profits at the cost to the people of Shetland and Orkney (not mentioning tourists) it is supposed to be serving and helping (said loosely). Serco are already making a massive profit from the Scottish Government by being rewarded the contract in the first place (one would presume profits are also taken into consideration as well?) but like any greedy capitalist, they always want more and more profit regardless to the harm this may do to islanders and people as a whole. In a profit based economy and society, value and service for money is very much short of the mark.
Heather Butler
Totally agree. There must be a Subsidy from transport Scotland to enable Islanders not to have to pay for 3 other berths. This is unacceptable longterm