33 Million of Cost/Savings Per Annum

[shetlandpeat]

So, where would the 23% work if you reduced it to 10%?

 

The spiral if that were to happen would be a double helix.

[ll]

MuckleJoannie

I recall something the same. The fares collected would be less than the salary payable for an extra crewman.

Why couldn't you be charged for a "through ticket" on the Yell ferry? No need for extra crew on the Fetlar or Unst ferries.

 

Some ferries with as little as 2 crew can still collect fares, whilst buses rely on the driver.

 

Maybe some sailings should be cut too as even some smaller islands are better served than Shetland as a whole.

 

Unst = 23 runs per day @ 85 pax + 15 cars per run (population < 500)

 

Fetlar = 7 runs per day @ 85 pax + 15 cars per run (population < 100)

 

Skerries = 4 runs some days @ 123 pax + 25 cars per run (population < 100)

 

Yell = 28 runs per day @ 144 pax + 47 cars per run (combined North Isles < 1500)

 

Shetland = 1 run per day @ 600 pax + 125 cars per run (population 22,000)

 

Listening to a lot of peoples pre-election views on the radio, many expressed concern that they had only one or two bus service runs per day. When you look at the amount of ferry runs provided in comparison, it seems completely unfair and vastly out of proportion.

[Colin]

Listening to a lot of peoples pre-election views on the radio, many expressed concern that they had only one or two bus service runs per day. When you look at the amount of ferry runs provided in comparison, it seems completely unfair and vastly out of proportion.

 

I made this very point at a ZetTrans "consultation" meeting a couple of years back.

 

Still waiting..............

[MuckleJoannie]

But if you're in, say, Scalloway and there's no bus you can get in your car, get a lift with someone, cycle or walk to get around. There are a lot less alternatives for getting out of the isles. And rememeber that one of the reasons given for closing the Whalsay fish factory this week was the lack of ferry crossings - 26 jobs lost.

[Spinner72]

Thats it, you need to compare the number of trips with all modes of transport combined, not just busses. How may vehicles would be backed up if you closed any main or loop road in the mainland, only allowing 40 cars through every half hour?

 

Not only that, but a quick look at the local bus timetables soon shows the Outer Isles don't get near as many bus runs as most areas..

[Colin]

And rememeber that one of the reasons given for closing the Whalsay fish factory this week was the lack of ferry crossings - 26 jobs lost.

 

Yes, makes you wonder how they managed when they only had 1 ferry.

[Infiltrator]

And rememeber that one of the reasons given for closing the Whalsay fish factory this week was the lack of ferry crossings - 26 jobs lost.

 

Yes, makes you wonder how they managed when they only had 1 ferry.

 

Presumably the factory closure means the fish are being processed elsewhere - scalloway?

[paulb]

very sad about the folks losing there jobs. now what about the 3/4s of a million quid invested by the trust in it. has that been payed back or is that down the pan.

[wastafirth 01]

Perhaps there would be less need for having more ferry runs to/from the north isles if there were more buses meeting the ferries? That would certainly cut down on the number of people commuting to work etc from having to take their car.

 

There would effectively be more room on the ferries for lorries etc as residents could leave their car at home and travel as foot passengers. I know that if you live in Yell / Unst there is 1 bus running through the isle(s) to lerwick and back again (apart from a trip to Tesco, what use is arriving at 10.30am and having to leave at 2.30pm to anyone?).

 

I used to live in Yell but worked in Lerwick. There was no way I could get to work on time unless I did drive. Even taking the car to the ferry then getting on the bus at the other side meant that I was late for work - getting into LK at 9am is no use, especially when getting on a ferry at 7.15am! Oh, and if you're not aware - there is no internal bus within Yell to take passengers down to the ferry to catch the 7.15am ferry which meets in with the bus.

 

The number of cars on these early ferries do warrant the larger ferry, but if SIC/ZETRANS got their fingers out, it could end up being a win, win for everyone. Less fuel costs for island residents, more environmentally friendly travel, and keeping folk in the isles, with less urgency to increase the size of ferries

 

As for the ferry fares, I don't know how they work staffing wise, but I can't see why the ferryman who does the gate can't take up the tickets? Passengers could pay on their way off/on the ferry as they pass the barrier; might take a bit longer, but if it saves money why not? The cars are quite often sitting waiting for a bit before being waved on by ferry staff - maybe this time could be utilised better?

 

Unst/Fetlar residents are at in a less favourable position giving that in order to get to the mainland they need to take 2 ferries so I do agree that they should at least get a discounted fare price - perhaps they pay for an islander's ticket that sees them straight through to mainland on that day only? Everyone else visiting these isles should pay full whack or at the very least, some form of payment. i understand council's reasoning behind giving them free travel, but surely in these times, we need to be generating something from these crossings?

[stilldellin]

So what happened re councillor Wills idea of requisitioning one of the Yellsound ferries for Whalsay with all the resultant pandemonium that would cause. Was there ever a decision made re the squabbling within Whalsay about where the new terminal was to go. Was there not a bit of an own goal scored there ?

[MuckleJoannie]

 

As for the ferry fares, I don't know how they work staffing wise, but I can't see why the ferryman who does the gate can't take up the tickets? Passengers could pay on their way off/on the ferry as they pass the barrier; might take a bit longer, but if it saves money why not? The cars are quite often sitting waiting for a bit before being waved on by ferry staff - maybe this time could be utilised better?

 

 

It's not just collecting money. They need to check that the money that they have is correct at the end of the shift and bank it.

 

I don't think you can pay by card on the ferries. That might be one way to simplify thing.

[JustMe]

It's not just collecting money. They need to check that the money that they have is correct at the end of the shift and bank it.

 

I don't think you can pay by card on the ferries. That might be one way to simplify thing.

So is it possible to think in terms of pre-payment ticket machines at the terminals. No need to handle cash on the ferries but perhaps some sort of emergency procedure in event of machine breakdown.

[stilldellin]

^ You could possibly pay for your ticket via that free wifi you were about to dispose of.

[JustMe]

^ You could possibly pay for your ticket via that free wifi you were about to dispose of.

No, not about to dispose of. Just wondered about the cost of it.

[ll]

And rememeber that one of the reasons given for closing the Whalsay fish factory this week was the lack of ferry crossings - 26 jobs lost.

 

Yes, makes you wonder how they managed when they only had 1 ferry.

 

Presumably the factory closure means the fish are being processed elsewhere - scalloway?

 

It is crazy that commercial traffic does not have priority, especially cases like this when the long term sustainability of the island depends on businesses.

 

It is high time peak and off-peak fares were introduced to ease demand at peak times. The amount of car and passenger spaces provided to small islands is unbelievable, but the Whalsay population are still saying the services are completely inadequate.

 

The Whalsay service has provision for around 300 cars per day and over 1500 passengers which is around 50% more than its entire population.

 

To put this into perspective: if the Shetland population as a whole had the same level of service to Aberdeen, it would be equivalent to 55 return runs of a Northlink sized ferry per day.