The Scottish Government has agreed to meet with representatives of island communities to discuss concerns about the restriction of the Air Discount Scheme (ADS) for business travel.
An urgent meeting to discuss the implications for remote island communities was requested by OIC Convener, Stephen Hagan; Angus Campbell, Leader of Western Islands Council and Josie Simpson, Leader of Shetland Islands Council.
Business travel was removed from the scheme in April this year.
In his letter to Councillor Hagan, agreeing to a meeting on behalf of the three island conveners, Transport Minister Keith Brown writes:”The ADS is designed to provide social support for individual scheme members. The decision to more actively exclude business related travel from the ADS reflects this and the scheme notification to and approval by the European Commission under its Aid of a Social Character mechanism.
“Whilst I do appreciate there will be an impact on those private companies and public and voluntary sector organisations which have used the scheme for their business travel in the past, this is not the intended purpose of the scheme."
Councillor Hagan, said: “I find the Minister’s response very disappointing, though the news this week that the Scottish Government will approach the European Commission to seek further clarification on the use of the scheme for business related travel is encouraging."
“We will continue to make every effort to have the ADS reinstated for all island users. The scheme has been an outstanding success in helping to facilitate both social and commercial cohesion across our island communities."
“In the last three years the three local authorities have saved a combined total of £1m through reduced costs due to the scheme."
“It has enabled the islands to maintain our connectivity with the Scottish mainland at a time when contracting budgets would otherwise have forced us to curtail much of this activity.”
The ADS was established in May 2006 in recognition of the high fares that can apply on those commercially viable air services in the Highlands and Islands. The Scheme provides a 40 per cent discount on the core air fare for those residents of Orkney, Shetland, the Western Isles, Islay, Jura, Caithness and North West Sutherland registered under the Scheme.
