Serco pressed to cough up for loss of trade
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Landward Caithness member Alex MacLeod has written the firm’s managing director Stuart Garrett to ask what steps it is taking to help small businesses hit hard due to the absence of a passenger service.
The firm announced on Tuesday it will not be providing a replacement before May 24, when the Hamnavoe is due to be fixed and resume its daily sailings to Stromness.
Mr MacLeod said the scheduled 27 days without a service is unacceptable and has been detrimental to the region.
“It’s been totally outrageous and a completely unacceptable way to treat the county of Caithness,” he said.
“Serco Northlink has shown a total disregard for the local economy. While it might not be any skin off the company’s nose, for businesses in Caithness it’s a dire situation.
“I’m outraged by the situation and I share the outrage of people in the county.
“The Scottish Government need to enforce the maximum penalties but Serco Northlink has to compensate businesses and look at ways it can mitigate the economic impact caused by their incompetence.”
It has been estimated some businesses in Caithness and Orkney have lost as much as £500 a day as a result of the lack of service between the two ports.
The John O’Groat Journal previously reported on businesses which have been affected by the loss of passing trade.
Hotels and bed and breakfast establishments have also reported cancellations from guests due to the loss of the passenger link.
Mr Garrett has acknowledged it looks unlikely an alternative vessel will be found.
He said: “We continue our search for alternative tonnage and measures are in place in order to minimise disruption for our passengers and freight customers.
“We are working closely with both Pentland Ferries and John O’Groat Ferries to provide alternative travel arrangements for our passengers, including courtesy bus travel to and from Pentland Ferries’ terminal.”
Since May 3, a temporary freight service has been provided by the Helliar which has been making two return crossings a day between Scrabster and Stromness.
Last year, Serco Northlink was awarded the contract to operate the Scrabster/Stromness service in a £243 million deal over six years. As part of a penalty clause in the contract, the firm is facing fines of almost £450,000.
