NorthLink bookings

At the beginning of the week I launched an online survey asking for the views and experiences of people when booking on the Northern Isles Serco NorthLink Ferry Lerwick-Aberdeen service.

A big thank you to all those who have already taken part in the survey. It is not a surprise that so many people want to have their say but it is surprising just how quickly people have taken up this opportunity, 200 in 24 hours and now 800 and counting. I think that reflects the strength of feeling among those hoping to book trips whether that is in the next few weeks or later in the year.

I will use the information collected in this survey to demonstrate to Serco NorthLink, the Scottish Government and Transport Scotland the impact on family life, businesses, tourism and the everyday needs of island life. 

As things are, bookings beyond 30th September 2023 have not yet opened. This is affecting local businesses as well as families making plans for the October school holidays and Christmas with plans up in the air until more dates open, as well as impacting travel covering Shetland Wool Week (23rd  September – 1st October 2023). My understanding is that this ‘cliff edge’ in bookings arises when any decision on fare structure has not been confirmed by the Scottish Government via Transport Scotland. Clearly a system designed for ease of officialdom and not the end-user.

I have also heard from businesses that commercial freight rates after 30th September are unconfirmed and so they are left in the position of bidding for contracts without knowing actual costs from October onwards. This is on top of capacity concerns, notably around the autumn livestock season, a well-known capacity ‘pinch point’ but one which still appears as an annual surprise to government.

Booking a car and a cabin together continues to be tough, and shared cabins are no longer available with the answer I receive frequently from both government and Northlink is that pods and chairs are available options. I do not see those as being an equivalent option for the 12-hour passage for those people who have tried to book a cabin.

As shared cabins are no longer an option those entitled to concessionary travel are effectively finding their free two trip entitlement halved when booking a cabin. This is appalling and while Covid measures where the original and understandable concern this is now a cover.