Western Isles MSP received assurances on ferry consessions for viviers

SNP MSP for Na h-Eileanan an Iar, Alasdair Allan, has received clarification from the Scottish Government that Calmac will now fully implement ticket deals for the transporters of live shellfish.

These were agreed some months ago, but Dr Allan has been approached by a number of viviers saying they were still being charged for the return journeys being made by empty vehicles.

Alasdair Allan commented:

“The Scottish Government’s decision to allow vehicles transporting live shellfish to travel free on the leg of their journey where the vehicle was empty was the right one, and helpful to this industry.

“Where there has been some difficulty is in the definition of what constitutes an empty vehicle. A number of operators contacted me saying that they were being charged even if the vehicle contained equipment such as crab baskets, prawn tubes and weighing scales which are an integral part of the vivier system.

“After some correspondence between myself and the Transport Minister, Keith Brown, I am assured that such vehicles will now be treated as empty as they are carrying only the equipment which is essential for the transportation of live shellfish on the leg of the journey for which they paid. I hope that this issue is now resolved.”

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