Highland Transport Board (Hansard, 25 October 1967)

§ Mr. Ross

The comments which I have received on the Board's final report were generally favourable, and 56 of the 87 recommendations have been so far accepted by the Government. Three recommendations have been rejected, two do not call for action by the Government and the remainder are still under consideration. Following is a detailed statement of the action taken on each recommendation:

Action taken on the recommendations listed on pages 70–76 on the Final Report of the Highland Transport Board.

7.2–7.5 Accepted. The Board's earlier recommendations about proposed railway closures were accepted at the time. Some of the lines concerned are reviewed later in the report (7.31 to 7.34).

7.6 Accepted. I propose to ask education authorities to take into account the existing services of stage carriage operators when considering tenders for school contracts.

7.7 Accepted. I propose to write to education authorities encouraging them to permit fare-paying passengers to be carried on school buses, subject to the interests of the school children not being prejudiced.

7.8 Accepted. The bus operators' associations intend to draw the attention of their 470W members to the recommendation that more and larger parcels should be carried over longer distances in buses.

7.9 Accepted. My right hon. Friend the Postmaster General has advised me that mail contracts in the Highlands and Islands are already awarded to stage carriage operators where practicable.

7.10 Accepted. My right hon. Friend the Postmaster General has agreed to carry passengers in specially constructed mail vehicles on a number of experimental routes in the U.K. So far no suitable route has been found in the Highlands and Islands.

7.11 Accepted in principle. Decisions of the Traffic Commissioners are already made in public and are usually reported in local newspapers and in trade journals. The Commissioners and their staff are in close touch with bus operators and make every effort to advise and help them on current problems.

7.12 Action by the Government would not be appropriate, but I understand that one bus operators association has recently reduced its subscription rates and I hope this will help to attract membership among rural operators.

7.13 Accepted. Proposals for assisting rural bus operators will be included in the Transport Bill which the Government intend to introduce to Parliament in the next session.

7.14 Accepted in principle. The possibilities of operating car pool schemes, under the auspices of local welfare authorities, to meet any special cases of hardship are being examined in consultation with the Ministry of Transport.

7.15 Accepted in principle. The Orkney Islands Shipping Company is making a detailed study of the proposal to introduce a vehicle ferry service to Rousay, Egilsay and Wyre and the County Council have put forward proposals for the terminals required.

7.16 Under consideration. It has not yet been established whether the sea service to Shapinsay requires assistance.

7.17 Accepted. Consent to the Caledonian Steam Packet Company proposals to transfer the Holy Loch Service to a private operator was withheld by my right hon. Friend the Minister of Transport.

7.18 Rejected. The Caledonian Steam Packet Company have introduced a smaller and more suitable vessel of their own to the Holy Loch service.

7.19 Accepted. With the consent of my right hon. Friend the Minister of Transport, the Caledonian Steam Packet Company reduced the frequency of summer excursion sailings to Campbeltown, Inveraray and Tighnabruaich in 1965.

7.20 Accepted. A feasibility study of possible routes for operation by landing craft has been completed. Copies of the report have been sent to the local authorities concerned for comment.

7.21 Accepted. In view of the lack of traffic, the Glenfinnan-Acharacle service has been discontinued this winter. Consultations 471W are taking place as to whether the service is required during the summer.

7.22 Accepted. MacBraynes are examining the possibility of economies on the Kyle-Toscaig ferry service.

7.23 Accepted. Cromarty Burgh Council have been invited to explore, with Invergordon Town Council and Ross and Cromarty County Council, the possibility of rationalising the Cromarty Firth ferry services.

7.24 Accepted. In the White Paper "British Waterways: Recreation and Amenity" (Cmnd. 3401) the Government have announced their intention to retain the Crinan and Caledonian canals as commercial waterways.

7.25 Accepted. The runways in Islay, Orkney and Shetland were lengthened sufficiently to allow B.E.A. to introduce Viscount services to Islay, Orkney and Shetland in 1966.

7.26 Not accepted at present. I am informed by my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade that further lengthening of the runways in Islay, Orkney and Shetland will be considered by his Department if the need arises.

7.27 Accepted. The early-morning and late-evening services to and from Inverness and Wick were introduced by B.E.A. in April, 1967.

7.28 Accepted. The air service was introduced on 27th September to the islands of Sanday, Stronsay and North Ronaldsay. It will be extended to Westray and Papa Westray when additional work on the airstrips has been completed.

7.29 Accepted. The Army was prepared to construct an airstrip in the Fort William area this summer, but the County Council were unable to acquire the site and the project has been deferred.

7.31 Accepted. The Perth-Aviemore-Inverness, Inverness-Wick/Thurso, Crianlarich-Fort William and Crianlarich-Oban lines are included in those which the Government and British Railways Board have decided to retain and develop.

7.32 and 7.33 Accepted. The recommendations, that, when the roads to Kyle of Lochalsh and Mallaig have been sufficiently improved, consideration should be given as to whether the railway lines should be closed, are in accordance with the Government's and British Railway's policy. In the changing transport situation the future of these lines will be re-examined. The re-examination will take into account not only the progress of the road improvement schemes but also the impact that withdrawal of passenger services might have on the social and economic life of the Highlands.

7.34 Accepted. British Railways Board has examined the possibility of extending the freightliner system to Inverness and found that the traffic potential does not at present warrant the capital investment which would be involved.

7.35 Action by the Government would not be appropriate. Subject to the approval of the Traffic Commissioners, the introduction of long distance bus services in the Highlands 472W and Islands is primarily a matter for the operators.

7.36–40 Under consideration. The Board's recommendations will be taken into account in the preparation of the future road programme, and consideration will be given to starting the schemes recommended as soon as possible.

7.41 Accepted. In general priority will be given to improving as great a mileage of Highland roads as possible with 18 foot carriageways (or where traffic is light, by 11 foot carriageways with passing places) before the widening of roads to 24 feet is considered.

7.42 Accepted. Consulting engineers are already employed on road and pier schemes where the staffs of local authorities cannot undertake the work.

7.43 Accepted. The introduction of vehicle ferries will be considered when future sea and ferry services are being planned.

7.44 to 7.46 Accepted. At my request the North of Scotland, Orkney and Shetland Shipping Company have invited a private consultant to advise on future plans for serving Orkney and Shetland.

7.47 and 7.49 Accepted in principle. The proposal to serve the North Isles of Shetland by vehicle ferries will be implemented when finance is available.

7.48 Under consideration. The most appropriate operator for the service to the North Isles of Shetland will be discussed with the County Council and others concerned.

7.50 Accepted. The Orkney Islands Shipping Company have found that the introduction of a drive-on vehicle ferry service to the North Isles of Orkney would be impracticable; the new cargo ship which is now being designed to serve these islands will be able to carry vehicles.

7.51 Under consideration. The transport system for the South Isles of Orkney will be further examined in consultation with the interests concerned.

7.52 Accepted. The new cargo ship being designed for the North Isles of Orkney will also be able to serve the South Isles.

7.53 Under consideration. The future of the sea service to Stornoway is being studied in consultation with the Highlands and Islands Development Board.

7.54 Accepted in principle. A major vehicle ferry vessel to replace the "Claymore" service is being considered with other services which are being examined by MacBraynes.

7.55 Rejected. The cost of piers for a Norwegian type vehicle ferry from Mallaig to Armadale would be too expensive. The possibility of using a smaller vessel on this service is being studied by MacBraynes.

7.56, 7.57 and 7.58 Under consideration. The recommendations that the "Clansman" should augment the Lochmaddy-Uig service, that a Norwegian type vehicle ferry vessel should operate the Oban-Mull service and that Coll and Tiree should continue to be served from Oban are being considered by MacBraynes along with other shipping services to the Western Isles.

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7.59 Rejected. Caledonian Steam Packet Company have already introduced a smaller vessel on the Holy Loch services. MacBraynes are however considering the Small Isles service along with other services in the area.

7.60 Accepted. MacBraynes are examining possible improvements in their cargo service.

7.61–7.63 Under consideration. I hope to announce shortly my decision on the future sea services to Islay, Jura, Colonsay and Gigha.

7.64 and 7.65 Under consideration. MacBraynes are considering the future of their Ardrishaig mail service and I shall study their proposals in due course in consultation with the interests concerned.

7.66 Under consideration. Measures for the safety of small vessels plying for hire or reward and carrying 12 or fewer passengers are under discussion between my right hon. Friend, the President of the Board of Trade and local licensing authorities. The Board of Trade do not consider it would be practical for the Board themselves to introduce and enforce a system of survey and certification of every vessel carrying passengers comparable with the existing statutory arrangements for survey and certification of those which carry more than 12 passengers.

7.67 Accepted. I shall arrange for the completion of the study begun by the Board of the administrative provisions governing the regulation and control of ferries.

7.68 Accepted. I have arranged that responsibility for providing ferry operators and local authorities with up-to-date information and advice about ferry vessels and terminals should be exercised by the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries for Scotland.

7.69 Accepted. It is my intention that the need for those ferries which are financially supported either by local authorities or central Government Departments should be reviewed regularly.

7.70 Accepted. The Agricultural Departments are at present engaged in a comprehensive review of all Animal Health Orders governing the transport of horses and farm animals by road, rail and sea. It is proposed to provide, in a new Order, for the carriage of animals on suitable floats aboard vessels subject to any safeguards necessary to protect the animals from injury or unnecessary suffering.

7.71 Accepted. I have asked the Highlands and Islands Development Board to consult the Caledonian Steam Packet Company about the future development of the ferry service at Kyle of Lochalsh, in conjunction with the County Councils of Ross and Cromarty and Inverness.

7.72, 7.73 and 7.74 Under Consideration. The proposals to introduce small vehicle ferry services to certain islands in the Hebrides are still under discussion with MacBraynes and the local authorities concerned.

7.75 Accepted. Assistance to transport piers in the Highlands will be concentrated on vehicle ferry terminals, but account will also be taken of the needs of other vessels.

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7.76 Accepted. The normal rate of grant for transport piers will continue to be 75 per cent

7.77 Accepted. I propose to ask harbour authorities in the Highlands to review the need for improvement of the ancillary facilities on existing piers.

7.78 Accepted. I have arranged for a review of legislation affecting transport piers in the Highlands to be carried out by my Department.

7.79 Under consideration. Legislation would be necessary to extend to £100,000 the present limit of £25,000 within which I may authorise pier and harbour works.

7.80 Accepted in part. My right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade informs me that a programme of airstrip construction has been drawn up for the Royal Engineers; subject to commitments elsewhere, it is hoped to undertake one major project each year. So far as financial aid is concerned, any application by a local authority for assistance towards the cost of airstrip construction will be considered on its merits; the Government's policy is set out in the White Paper "Civil Aerodromes and Air Navigational Services" (Cmnd. 1457).

7.81 Accepted. The Transport Committee of the Scottish Economic Planning Council have asked the Highlands and Islands Development Board to deal with the co-ordination of passenger transport services in the area, and the Board have set up a committee of transport operators.

7.82 Accepted. Detailed arrangements for meeting the special needs of the Highlands and Islands will be a matter for the proposed new national freight organisation when it is set up.

7.83 Under consideration. I am considering the arrangements for handling complaints about sea services.

7.84 and 7.85 Under consideration. A detailed study is being made by my Departments of the relationship of sea transport charges to the islands with the charges borne by communities in the distant parts of the mainland.

7.86 Under consideration. The question of incentives to subsidised operators of sea services will be examined when any of the existing agreements becomes due for review.

7.87 Accepted. Capital grants or loans are already given to ferry operators when necessary.

7.88 Accepted in principle. My right hon. Friend the Minister of Transport and I are giving further consideration to the detailed arrangements for ensuring that, in general, Exchequer assistance to local ferries should be conditional on a contribution being made by the local authorities.

7.89 Accepted. I look for advice on Highland transport questions to the Highlands and Islands Development Board and where appropriate to the Scottish Economic Planning Council.