Minister says "No" to Transport Subsidy

Cornishman online 23 May 2013.   "There is no cash available for a subsidised service between Penzance and the Isles of Scilly, the Government has said."  the article went on to say "Patrick McLoughlin, the Secretary of State for  Transport , said the country needed to focus on cutting the deficit and not on securing a year-round subsidised link to the remote islands".

You can read the full item here .

Comment (from Dick Cliffe, Chairman of Penzance Chamber of Commerce)

The reality of the situation is that transport links to the islands have not received revenue subsidies in the past but both the helicopter service and the current ferry were funded with capital help from the Government (British European Airways was Government owned when the helicopter service was set up).  The helicopter service ceased in Nov 2012 after years of financial struggle.   The Route Partnership scheme which involved a capital grant to help fund a replacement for the Scillonian was turned down in March 2011.  The Scillonian has been given a life extension to 2018 with investment in a refit by the IOSSCo.  In 2018 the Scillonian will have been in service for 41 years. 

With the Scillonian limited to 450 passenger and crew by the MCA (verses 600) and visitor numbers falling or stagnating in part due to high travel costs, it is not obvious how the IOSSCO can fund a replacement ferry vessel.  Without a ferry visitors have to accept a relatively expensive and weather dependent air service as the only transport option.  This is not a combination of factors that is going to support the islands as a mainstream tourist destination in the future generating a tourist spend of £34 million/year (2011 figure from Visit Cornwalls "Value of Tourism Report").

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St Mary's Airport Consultation today!

There is a chance for islanders to comment on plans to improve St Mary's Airport today, Friday 24 May 2013.  The event is being held in the Wesleyan Chapel St Mary's 12.00 - 19.00 hrs. See the flyer here

38 Degrees - "Fares Fair Petition

FRIST campaigns for better and less expensive transport links between Scilly and the mainland. We recognize however that even getting to the mainland ferry terminal at Penzance or one of the airports serving the islands is becoming increasingly expensive for visitors. For this reason we are drawing your attention to campaign group 38 Degrees’ “Fair Fares Now” petition.

38 Degrees launched this petition in January in response to 10 years of large (RPI + 1%), above inflation fares increases to send a clear message to the Government that enough is enough, now is the time to commit to making rail fares simpler and cheaper for all. After all travel by rail is environmentally desirable and we should be encouraging it.


Click on the link to read more about the petition - click here

Prime Minister briefed on IOS concerns.

Penzance Town Team took the opportunity to brief the Prime Minister over Penzance business community’s concerns about the IOS economy stemming from its unresolved transport issues. 

The Prime Minister visited Penzance yesterday (29 April) walking down Causewayhead for a 15 minute meeting with Penzance Town Team in the office’s of the Cornishman Newpaper to discuss town centre issues in general and what Government could do to help. 

The Prime Minister was accompanied on his walk down Causewayhead by Jacquie Walls (Cornishman Editor), Hannah Wallis (Vice Chair, Causewayhead Traders Association) and Dick Cliffe, Chairman Penzance Chamber of Commerce/Town Team Coordinator).  On a stunning spring day it was explained to the Prime Minister that an important part of the local economy would not be represented at the meeting -  the IOS.  It was explained that approximately one sixth of the tourist spend in West Cornwall (Penwith + IOS) occurred on the IOS despite a population of only ~2100 persons and that most goods and services originated or passed through Penzance.  Whilst visitor numbers had continued to rise in Cornwall in recent years (despite austerity) they had declined on the IOS and this was having a sharply adverse impact on the IOS economy with knock on effects on Penzance.

Penzance Town Team members represented at the meeting included The Wharfside Centre, Future Penzance, Causewayhead Traders, Truro & Penwith College, Penzance & District Tourism Association, Penzance Town Council and Penzance Chamber of Commerce.   

Dick Cliffe commented that this meeting was not an opportunity to discuss the pros and cons of specific transport projects on the islands or mainland.The Prime Minister appeared well briefed and had clearly been updated following Grant Shapps' (Conservative Party Chairman) breakfast meeting with Penzance business community representatives on 12 April (where the same issue was raised).

FRIST Newsletter Issued

Please follow (click on) the link here to read our latest FRIST newsletter which we hope you will find of interest.  You can also download the document using this internet address: http://tinyurl.com/bo92tme

You can receive FRIST newsletters and other updates direct to your email account by registering your support (for FRIST (see link on the right hand side of the webpage).   

FRIST needs your support to add strength to our voice pressing for equitable transport provision with that provided to other UK and EU islands.

At a meeting in March, the Advisory Group of FRIST (Friends of Isles of Scilly Transport) confirmed that its principal long term objective would remain unchanged: that is to campaign for an affordable, reliable, all year lifeline service to the Isles of Scilly comparable to that provided in the Scottish Isles.  In addition, the group considered some short-term goals including investigating the possibility of a government subsidy for a trial sea passenger service to operate next winter November to March, with a break in service during January or early February for refit if necessary. At a meeting with Andrew George MP he agreed that the possibility of a winter Public Service Obligation was worth exploring further.  Prior to any statement on the way forward there was a considerable amount of groundwork to be covered including consultation with the Steamship Company and the Department for Transport. We are continuing to explore precedents within the UK and EU regarding Public Service Obligation routes, and whether any other islands attract revenue support on a partial or seasonal basis.   It is important not to raise expectations at this early stage of exploring options to improve winter transport to and from the islands but FRIST is determined to do everything possible in its power to help prevent a future repetition of this winter’s dire travel situation.

Council comments on Lands End Airport plans.

The IOS Council has briefed Scilly Today on some of the details of the plans to fund a hard runway surface at Lands End Airport. 

In the Scilly Today interview Diana Mompoloki (IOS Council) explained that the islands’ Council has extended the contract (for St Mary's Airport) of the runway designers URS, to complete design work for a hard-surface for Land’s End airfield. Topographical studies start this week and it will take up to 12 weeks to draft the designs. The project was estimated to cost around £1.5m and the Council was working with the Isles of Scilly Steamship Company on funding solutions. Diana Mompoloki is quoted as saying any building work would be undertaken at night to minimise disruption at the height of the season, similar to the St Mary’s proposals.

Read more from the Scilly Today article here.

Government answers Parliamentary Question on IOS Transport

Lord Tony Berkeley asked her Majesty’s Government whether any legislation is required to enable them to provide a Public Service Obligation or Public Service Contract in connection with a passenger or freight transport service to the Isles of Scilly.

Earl Attlee responded:  Whether any proposal for a Public Service Obligation or Public Service Contract was covered by existing legislative powers would depend upon the details of the proposal and the circumstances in which it was made.  Relevant existing legislation includes Council Regulation (EEC) No 3577/92 and section 34 of the Transport Act 1968 in relation to ferries and EC Regulation 1008/2008 in relation to air travel.  Any such proposal would also have to comply with EU State Aid rules.

You can read the written answer here.
You read about EU policies in the Council of the IOS report (pages 72-74) here