West Highlands & Islands Air Route Survey

If you live or travel in and about the west Highlands & Islands, HITRANS (Highlands and Island Regional Transport Partnership) are seeking your views on a number of air routes. This is through an online survey which is running from now until 10th June 2013. The survey can be completed by both individuals and businesses.

The survey is part of a review of air services being undertaken by consultants Northpoint Aviation Services on behalf of HITRANS. The study is assessing the potential to develop a number of new or enhanced air services using available aircraft capacity. Based on the consultants’ first phase of research, the survey will collect views and information regarding potential demand for the following possible new routes:

•             Oban-Barra

•             Oban-Glasgow

•             Campbeltown-Oban.

The survey also seeks to gather views and information on potential enhancements to the existing Glasgow-Barra air service.

The greater the number of survey responses then the more solid will be the evidence against which potential demand for these air services can be assessed. Therefore, HITRANS are very keen that residents and businesses take part in the survey.

All responses to the survey will be treated in strictest confidence and the answers will only be reported at an aggregate level. The survey for each of the routes being considered will take around 10 minutes to complete.

The survey does not include potential air routes from Skye. This is because these were assessed as part of the recently completed Skye Air Services Feasibility Study. However, the findings of that study will be factored into the current study being undertaken by Northpoint.

HITRANS-The Highlands and Islands Transport Partnership Director, Ranald Robertson said “This study will provide an invaluable evidence base that will consider in detail the complex operational, regulatory and budgetary constraints which impact on the provision of air services in the Highlands and Islands. This work will also investigate the feasibility of any new operations and forecast the impact these are likely to have in terms of fleet, crewing and operating costs”

The survey goes live on Wednesday 15th May 2013 and can be found at https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/highlands_and_islands_air_services
// //

// ]]>

Hebrides Today brings you the latest news from the Western Isles