Serco Now In Charge Of NorthLink Ferries From Today
4th July 2012
Serco Sets Sail - NorthLink Ferries Service Handover Complete
Today, Thursday 5 July 2012, at 3pm Serco NorthLink Ferries officially began operating the Scottish Government contract for ferry services from the Scottish mainland to the Orkney Islands and the Shetland Islands. In Caithness the ferry "Hamnavoe" sets sail from Scrabster each day and gives great views of the west of Orkney including the Old Man Of Hoy.
Managing director, Stuart Garrett, who was in Aberdeen today to meet staff and passengers as he took up his new post, took time to reassure people that for the remainder of 2012, timetables and ticket prices would stay the same.
He also explained that while retaining the NorthLink brand, that customers have become accustomed to, they could also expect to see exciting improvements being announced over the coming months with plans to invest in, grow and improve this lifeline service.
By the start of 2013 passengers can expect additional seating and new fully reclining seats, a refreshed catering service - including a new café bar and restaurant - and the introduction of onboard entertainment as well as enhanced WiFi access so that passengers can browse the internet or work while they travel.
Further changes will include a new online booking facility that is easier to use and regular travellers are also set to benefit from the trial of a loyalty scheme, rewarding passengers with discounts when they make multiple bookings.
Stuart will be based in Aberdeen and lead a management team who will be located across the Serco NorthLink Ferries network.
He said: "Serco will offer a local service led by a locally based management team. The team and I will be getting out and about to meet with and hear the views of the local community.
"The safety, quality and reliability of the service is my main motivation. Serco understands the importance of this service, but we're also ready to grow this service - both in terms of passenger numbers and freight - and ultimately we plan to deliver this for the benefit of the Islanders, local businesses, tourism and the government.
"I'd also like to stress that whilst we plan to make changes to our freight service according to seasonality, our restructured operations will respond to varied demand throughout the year and the team and I will continue to engage with freight customers to work with them to meet demand."
All bookings and passenger enquiries should continue to be directed to the NorthLink Ferries website www.northlinkferries.co.uk or by phone to 0845 6000 449.
In May rival company Streamline had mounted a legal challenge that prevented Serco from moving with its plans for takeover. However once the court decided to set that aside the way was clear and Serco moved swiftly to get everything ready. Serco will take over services run by Northlink between Aberdeen, Kirkwall and Lerwick and between Scrabster and Stromness.
The contract is worth £243m over six years.
Related Businesses
Related Articles
Current forecasts indicate the possibility of disruption to our services from Saturday 27th January through to the evening of Monday 29th January. Information will follow as forecasts update.
Early disruption warning to customers Current forecasts indicate the possibility of disruption to our services from the evening of Sunday 21st January through to the evening of Tuesday 23rd January. More information will follow as forecasts update.
Serco NorthLink Ferries has officially opened its booking system for the full calendar year ahead - giving customers the opportunity to book forward travel up to the end of December 2024. Billy Robb, Customer Service Director for NorthLink Ferries, said, "We are pleased to be able to open our booking system up to December 2024, allowing people to book travel in spring, summer and beyond, both to and from Shetland and Orkney.
Serco NorthLink Ferries staff have raised over £4,800 in support of Clan, a charity supporting those affected by cancer across north-east Scotland. Staff on board and ashore - led by Kathryn Fullerton, Retail Supervisor on the MV Hjaltland - carried out fundraising activities over the course of last year to gather funds for the charity.
The lifeline ferry service between Stromness and Scrabster will cease operation completely for a fortnight this winter, NorthLink Ferries has confirmed. The route is to be shutdown from January 31 until February 13 while mv Hamnavoe goes into dry dock for maintenance.
Highlands and Islands Labour MSP Rhoda Grant has again written to the Transport Minister Graeme Dey demanding Scottish Government address the urgent issues facing Scotland's Ferry Fleet. Following CalMac's announcement that it had been forced to amend timetables as the MV Hebrides was from the rotation for urgent repairs, it became clear that some communities were facing loss of their ferry service for days.
Serco NorthLink Ferries recorded more than 8,000 journeys during the start of 2021 as it continues to support essential travel. The service remains aligned to the Scottish Government's Strategic Framework, with NorthLink Ferries providing key worker, essential islander and freight connectivity between the Northern Isles and mainland Scotland.
Serco NorthLink Ferries is continuing to maintain vital transport links over the autumn and winter period - following the opening of its 2021 booking system at the start of October. The service remains aligned to the Scottish Government's Strategic Framework, and while passenger and car volumes are down significantly year-on-year they have shown further signs of strengthening over the last few months.
Four-legged friends can now travel with their owners between the Scottish mainland and Orkney and Shetland - thanks to new pet-friendly cabins on NorthLink Ferries passenger vessels MV Hamnavoe, MV Hjaltland and MV Hrossey. Each ship has two pet-friendly cabins available which have en-suite facilities, side-by-side lower twin bunks and tea and coffee making facilities.
Serco NorthLink Ferries has been operating a revised service during Phase 1 and 2 of lockdown, which has provided travel for key workers as well as essential islander and freight connectivity between the Northern Isles and mainland Scotland. During the period 22 March to 30 June, passenger numbers across all routes were 6,010 in comparison to 112,416 over the same period in 2019, representing a reduction of 95 per cent.
