Stone says commercial flights at Wick 'one step closer' after UK minister agrees to meeting on funding

NORTH MP, Jamie Stone, says the return of commercial flights to Wick is "one step closer" after securing a meeting with a UK government minister on funding for the Caithness airport.

The Liberal Democrat MP wants the Westminster government to contribute to the financing of a Public Service Obligation (PSO) – a form of subsidy – to ensure its survival.

Highland Council and the Scottish Government have committed to providing funding for a PSO, with the aim of subsiding the return of commercial air routes to and from the airport. Local campaigners believe additional funding from the UK Government is required to make passenger flights a reality.

No scheduled flights have operated from Wick John O' Groats Airport since Eastern Airways and Loganair withdrew from its Aberdeen and Edinburgh services respectively last year.

Mr Stone, the Caithness, Sutherland and easter Ross MP, made his plea for financial support during a debate in the House of Commons on regional airports.

Afterwards, Robert Coutts, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary at the Department of Transport, agreed to meet with Mr Stone to discuss what could be done to safeguard aviation links to and from Caithness.

A delighted Mr Stone said: "It is testament to the hard work of local campaigners in Caithness and the wider area that we are one step closer to returning commercial flights to Wick Airport, over a year since the last scheduled flight left the runway. I am pleased that the Minister has agreed to meet with me and I look forward to making the strongest possible case for the UK Government to support this lifeline service."

Wick and north-east Caithness Highland councillor, Raymond Bremner, who has recently been appointed the new chair of the Wick John O’ Groats Airport Joint Consultative Committee, said: "It is essential to the local economy that we see commercial flights operating from Wick John O’ Groats Airport as soon as possible. The UK government needs to make good on its commitment of financially supporting the airport and I look forward to meeting the Minister to discuss it. This is an urgent matter as the clock is ticking in respect of financial commitments already received from the Scottish Government and Highland Council."

Councillor Trish Robertson, chair of Highland Council's economy and infrastructure committee, said: "Passenger services to and from Wick Airport are crucial to the long-term economic prosperity of the far north, and indeed the wider Highland region.

"The Highland Council will continue to work closely with all potential funding partners to ensure this vital economic link is restored to Caithness as quickly as possible."

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