- Western Isles MSP, Alasdair Allan, yesterday spoke in a debate in the Scottish Parliament on proposals for car parking charges at the three HIAL airports in Stornoway, Sumburgh and Kirkwall.
Speaking in the debate, Alasdair Allan said:
“A number of factors make island airports different. First, cars are not primarily left there by tourists. Some islanders may leave their cars at the airport when they are on holiday, but the majority of people who leave their cars at Stornoway airport do so because they have to travel off island with work or, in a large number of cases, they are going to hospital or visiting someone there.
“These airports provide lifeline services that are essential for the islands to function as modern economies. And another special factor is worth bearing in mind; the money that many islanders have to pay to get to the mainland (unless they book many weeks in advance) is the kind of money with which they could have a foreign holiday. For that reason, the threat to introduce car parking charges at island airports has a knock-on effect on economic development in the islands.
“Those are the realities of air transport in all island communities. For those reasons, although I recognise the difficulties that HIAL faces, I hope that the currentconsultation on the matter will be genuine and far reaching and that the issues that I and others have mentioned will be to the fore in HIAL’s mind.
“I hope that the daily challenges that islanders face — whether they be in Orkney, Shetland or the Western Isles — are acknowledged. I have made my own views on the matter known to HIAL, as have other island members, and I hope as many islanders as possible will also take the opportunity to take this issue up directly with HIAL.”
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