icepick239 Posted July 1, 2010 Report Share Posted July 1, 2010 21 Councillors made a DECISION for a NON-DECISION yesterday in regards to Whalsay.Nothing seems to have changed, despite The Accounts Commission people not yet out of the Islands.So WHO did not vote? Sartorial Dave in his submission mentioned the fact that a NEW Council Election be set in motion as soon as possible. I tend to agree with him.By the time the due date of the next election does come around, (excluding the known retirees) many of the present encumbants will be asking for our votes once again, hoping like mad that we the electorate will have long put behind us, all the nonsense that has made this Council and some Senior Officials the laughing-stock it has become (and seemingly still is), not only in Shetland bit Worldwide.The Convenor appearing on the Scottish News (Monday) reminded me of someone sitting in front of Dodie Wullie explaining their position involving some latest fiasco to hit the school that day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stirrer Posted July 1, 2010 Report Share Posted July 1, 2010 21 Councillors made a DECISION for a NON-DECISION yesterday in regards to Whalsay.Nothing seems to have changed, despite The Accounts Commission people not yet out of the Islands.So WHO did not vote? Sartorial Dave in his submission mentioned the fact that a NEW Council Election be set in motion as soon as possible. I tend to agree with him.By the time the due date of the next election does come around, (excluding the known retirees) many of the present encumbants will be asking for our votes once again, hoping like mad that we the electorate will have long put behind us, all the nonsense that has made this Council and some Senior Officials the laughing-stock it has become (and seemingly still is), not only in Shetland bit Worldwide.The Convenor appearing on the Scottish News (Monday) reminded me of someone sitting in front of Dodie Wullie explaining their position involving some latest fiasco to hit the school that day. The one councillor who did not vote yesterday is likely to be Jim Hendry.I believe that he is still in hospital in Glasgow following being knocked down by a car while on council business about 6 weeks ago. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
icepick239 Posted July 1, 2010 Report Share Posted July 1, 2010 Of course, I had forgotten.Get well Jim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
9walker Posted July 1, 2010 Report Share Posted July 1, 2010 As I have said before, although I am not opposed to fixed links to any of the islands, my concern now is with the seemingly forgotten MCA legislation which changed a few years ago now, about carriage of passengers below deck. Since this change the second Whalsay ferry 'Hendra' was only allowed to operate beyond 2008, if there was a ferry replacement programme in place. This vessel, among others in Shetland with passenger saloons' below deck, are currently running on dispensations from the MCA under the aforementioned condition. During the Whalsay STAG process, 'doing nothing' was not an option because of this. Now that ferry replacement programme has been abandoned, and if no money can be found soon for the fixed links, will the MCA still allow this ageing boat to operate here? Whalsay is considered an open sea crossing in the eyes of the MCA, and because of this comes under tighter scrutiny than other ro-ro ferry services in Shetland. Whalsay residents, and possibly those in the the North Isles may suddenly find themselves a lot worse off than they are at present, long before any of the terminals get the chance to fall into the sea. Time will tell. The ferry certificates and dispensations are updated/renewed annually. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
9walker Posted August 23, 2010 Report Share Posted August 23, 2010 I have been corrected on my last point, as someone has had to plead with the MCA to allow the country's old boats to continue running with passenger saloons below deck beyond their deadline. I wonder how long this shall be allowed for now though considering there was a twelve year warning to replace the boats before the legislation changed. Quite recently the Hendra's car capacity has been reduced, to keep the deck clear for emergency evacuation. This is not the first time this has happened, the Hendra was built in 1982 as an 18 car ferry, but with the size of the average car always growing, it would be difficult to find 18 cars in shetland that would fit on this vessel now. 8 large vans now fill this boat to full capacity. The recent closure of the Whalsay fish factory is going to force ever more people to commute to find work. With already on average 750 daily passenger fares taken on these ferries, getting on or off Whalsay shall become even more difficult for all of the public. Now the MCA are to reduce the passenger capacity on the 'Linga' until bouyancy modifications are done to the vessel. This shall take the Whalsay service back to what it was 10 years ago. I was mate on the ferry then with the unfortunate task of turning people away because the number of passengers was at the limit. I do not envy these mens jobs for the coming months. Like I said in my last post here, the island's residents are about to find themselves worse off before the pier collapses, although I didn't forsee this coming. And now that larger ferries are about to be needed more than ever, and the council have decided to wait until a cash strapped government can supply funding for tunnels instead of replacing the ferries - this effectively means "DO NOTHING" - I see in the Shetland Times (20th August top right of page 5) that councillors are saying, "Lack of capacity on the Whalsay ferries has been a problem for a while". Have they finally realised what the last several years of debate on this subject has been about? The men working on the ferries have known this for many many years, but their hands are tied by the limitations of what vessels they are supplied to do their job with. And they are not allowed to speak to the press or public about the many problems in doing that job most effectively. 2 final points I'd like to make: Before the new Yellsound ferries arrived, there were 3 ferries running daily during the working weekdays on Yellsound to cope with demand, will this happen here with no new ferries on the horizon? I'm sure the costs of the extra service on Yellsound will be archived somewhere. And to the cheap tunnel believers: A tunnel to Whalsay would be the second longest tunnel in the UK next only to the Channel Tunnel, which was dug through soft rock and cost 80% over the original estimate. I'm still in favour of building a ferry terminal at Bonydale to make the crossing less than half the current distance, so the ferries could go twice as often at no extra cost. It would also bring the road 3 miles nearer Whalsay which would make the tunnel shorter and surely cheaper when that pipe dream becomes a reality. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Holm O Sanik Posted February 16, 2011 Report Share Posted February 16, 2011 It looks as though Gussie thinks he's got a magic wand and with one swpie of it several million will appear from the EU for tunnels - http://www.shetland-news.co.uk/2011/February/news/Gussie%20raises%20hopes%20of%20tunnel%20cash.htm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Politically_Right Posted February 17, 2011 Report Share Posted February 17, 2011 Although I sympathise with the views of the Whalsay Ferry crew, and how it will affect their livelihoods, I truly believe that a tunnel is the best option for the isle. The Whalsay ferry crew get a reasonable wage for providing a public service, and we are lucky to have an abundance of reasonably paid jobs on our doorstep. The employment that the ferries have provided have been a blessing as the island suffered a downturn in the size of the whitefish fleet. However, we should not hold back the future of the island in an effort to preserve these jobs. Looking in on the ferries, one might be forgiven for thinking that the ferry crew have an ‘easy life’ on the ferry. A perception might be that there is a lot of standing around with their hands in their pockets, and a real lack of enthusiasm from many who appear soul destroyed as the ferry plods on along the same rout hour after hour, day after day, year after year. Are these jobs really worth saving?? I am not criticising any individual or passing judgement on their profession. There are numerous jobs that these employees can get, with the shipping and oil industries crying out for people with merchant qualifications – they are in demand. I haven’t even touched upon the fact that the ferries are full in the morning, then again at tea time which emphasises the limits that the ferries have. A tunnel would benefit everyone who travels in and out of Whalsay on a regular basis. In the evening the ferry sails at 7, 8.30 and 10 – this isn’t a public service, it’s a public hindrance. Nevertheless, my above viewpoint is academic because we have a crisis with what we should do in the short term, for which there is no easy solution. The internal politics on Whalsay are rife and at times laughable as the wrong people say the wrong things. I have read (and concurred) with everything that Peter Walker has written on this forum – he has done his homework and goes about portraying his views in the right manner. I personally do not like the fact that the North Voe proposal has been blocked, but I feel that the South Voe would be a reasonable compromise – but I do not know the viability of this – my opinion is that of someone who has concerns for future of the people of Whalsay, and the economics of the South Voe may make it totally unfeasible. This leaves us with some questions, which as of yet I have seen no answers and it appears to be going along with the “Do Nothing†perspective: A tunnel is a long term plan - What is the solution for the short term problems facing the current infrastructure? How do we deal with the capacity issues on the current ferries? Is there any chance of a compromise between the community council and the North Voe opponents? What happens in the “Do Nothing†Scenario? Will the service soldier on for the next 20 years in its current state?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulb Posted February 17, 2011 Report Share Posted February 17, 2011 a third of a billion for a connection for a few thousand does not make sense. when will it dawn on the council the country and the eu are broke. for pity sake we can't even afford a coast guard or airforce anymore.buy some new ferries and build some new terminals and drop this stupid tunnel idea. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
listerine Posted February 17, 2011 Report Share Posted February 17, 2011 well said paulb. wonder if it will still be £300m in 10-20 years when they say the funding will be? yell sound was £5000 a meter in 2002 by 2010 it was £11000.maybe they got a fixed price. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Para Handy Posted February 17, 2011 Report Share Posted February 17, 2011 Well here is the councils first attempt at the Whalsay TunnelThe usual cock up by our councillors constant interference http://img87.imageshack.us/img87/45/8xc941160367977.jpg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graeme_Storey Posted February 18, 2011 Report Share Posted February 18, 2011 LOL Epic Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kavi Ugl Posted February 18, 2011 Report Share Posted February 18, 2011 I'll tell you what - once people see the benefits of a tunnel the "whole of Shetland" will be screaming "me next". If I kent I could shoot off for a peerie visit to one of islands without the hassle of a ferry I'd be there every other weekend. Especially Bressay Go Gussie, go!!. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stilldellin Posted February 18, 2011 Report Share Posted February 18, 2011 Whalsay and Yell are shouting for Wind Faerms. Whit I'm winderin is will " Da Kames Crane " fit on da ferries aaricht :-http://i1207.photobucket.com/albums/bb479/beenister/Kamescrane.jpg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
groilick Posted February 18, 2011 Report Share Posted February 18, 2011 ^^^^^^^^^^youn's da crane dat dey will ose tae pit tae-giddr da cranes dat de'll need tae lift da turbine sections. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stilldellin Posted February 18, 2011 Report Share Posted February 18, 2011 Yis Groilick, yuns him !. Does du tink da Yell and Whalsay rods are up tae it ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.