Councillors call for bus and ferry travel to be free

The Linga ferry. Photo: SIC.

Two South Mainland councillors are asking the SIC to consider giving all Shetlanders free bus and inter-island ferry travel.

Alex Armitage and Robbie McGregor will present a motion at next Wednesday’s full council meeting calling for locals to be given a 100 per cent discount on fares on buses and inter-island ferries.

The pair said the move would present a practical solution to both “the rising cost of living and the need to reduce carbon emissions”.

They said that making bus and inter-island ferry travel free for islanders would be “affordable” and “deliverable within a short time-frame”.

Mr Armitage and Mr MacGregor are asking the SIC to instruct transport manager Michael Craigie to explore feasibility and costs of such a move, and to present a timescale for how it could be put in place next year.

They are asking for this to be presented to the council’s next cycle of meetings, in December.

A separate motion at next Wednesday’s full council meeting will call for free school meals to be provided to all pupils.