Disruption to Bressay ferry service as staff sickness continues to hit

The Bressay ferry service will run to limited capacity over the coming days due to staff sickness.

The ferry will only run until 8pm tonight (Tuesday).

From Wednesday to Saturday, it will run to its normal timetable between 7.30-11am, and 5-10pm.

On Sunday, the service will run to the normal timetable between 7.30-10.45am and then again from 5-10pm.

The public bus service, which operates on a dial-a-ride basis from the Bressay ferry terminal will not run on Wednesday or Friday as normal.

Shetland Islands Council said emergency cover on the ferry service would still be maintained during this period.

Ferries manager Andrew Inkster said the SIC was “continuing to see problems” due to staff sickness, and that the council “fully appreciate how disruptive” this would be.

“We’re having difficulty locating appropriately-skilled cover at a time when Covid continues to have an impact on staffing levels across the service, and when colleagues are taking advantage of the opportunity to have some much-needed leave,” he said.

“We expect the service to return to normal on Monday, 1st August. We’d ask residents and visitors for their patience in the meantime.”