HIGHLANDS and Islands Conservative MSP Donald Cameron has accused the SNP government of kicking the issue of a second ferry into the long grass, following an announcement taxpayer-funded consultants will be hired to conduct a review of ferry services to the Western Isles.
The review, announced by the Minister for Transport and the Islands Humza Yousaf MSP, will take around a year to complete, which means, says Mr Cameron, that islanders and local businesses will have to wait at least another year for the SNP government to take action. This is despite recent criticisms over the capacity of the current MV Seaforth vessel which currently serves the Ullapool to Stornoway route.
Mr Cameron said local SNP MSP Alasdair Allan had described the issue as a ‘priority’ more than six months ago. ‘It is galling the SNP Government considers the word ‘priority’ to mean well over a year and possibly even up to two years before anything actually happens,’ said Mr