MSP Condemns HIALs ATC Vanity Project

23rd January 2020

Beatrice Wishart LibDem MSP for Shetland and who took over after her predecessor Tavish Scott stood down introduced the debate today at the Scottish Parliament on The Proposed Centralisation of Air Traffic Control in the Highlands and Islands.

That the Parliament notes the reported widespread concern in response to plans by Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd (HIAL) to centralise air traffic control (ATC) services in Inverness through the use of remote towers; acknowledges what it sees as the importance of ensuring that ATC services are modernised and remain fit for purpose. but believes that this must be balanced with the safety of passengers, the reliability of lifeline services and the need to sustain high-skilled jobs in island communities; understands that the proposed remote tower option being pursued was identified by HIAL's own advisers as carrying the greatest potential risk and cost; believes that many HIAL employees and stakeholders feel that they have not been properly consulted or that their concerns have been taken on board; considers that HIAL's ability to implement its remote tower model requires it to be able to convince existing staff to support the changes and that the level of dissatisfaction currently felt among ATC staff is likely to exacerbate any recruitment and retention problems and risks; believes that the reported recent communications failures at HIAL's airports serve to reinforce the concerns that have been expressed about its proposed centralisation model; considers that these proposals will have a detrimental impact on communities in the islands, and notes the calls on the Scottish Government to instruct HIAL to halt the remote tower project and pursue other options for modernisation.

Gail Ross MSP expressed concerns for the work force and about enforced travel and generally about this centralisation to Inverness.

Highlands and Islands Labour MSP Rhoda Grant condemned the harmful plans from Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd to centralise Air Traffic Control to Inverness and urged the Scottish Government to step in and stop the "Vanity Project".

In a debate in Holyrood on Thursday Mrs Grant told the Parliament that the plans would cause harm to the Air Traffic Controllers, the families and the economic ecosystem of vulnerable rural communities.

Mrs Grant, who has been campaigning against the plans since 2017 said: "I have been speaking to Air Traffic Controllers for some years now about this proposal. The overwhelming feeling from staff currently employed is that most of them are wholeheartedly against the centralisation plan, but clauses in the contracts of new staff over the last couple of years have made provision for relocation from local airfields to Inverness in the future showing that the decision was taken some time ago without proper consultation, or an Islands Impact Assessment.

"We are being told that an Islands Impact Assessment will be done, but the contract is already out to tender. Benbecula and Wick are already being downgraded. The decision has been made and they are treating this as a tick box exercise, it's a farce.

Mrs Grant said: "Staff have put forward alternative proposals for safe and cost effective modernisation which retains local skills, jobs and infrastructure, but there is no evidence that these have ever been considered.

"HIAL invested time and money recruiting and training local staff; people vested in their communities who wanted to live there. They are now throwing that away - a slap in the face to the communities they purport to serve. Staff who have invested their hearts and souls in local communities are now being forced to consider moving for employment and give up their homes. The personal cost is already proving too much."

"Everyone who lives on these islands, and in the remote parts of Scotland, knows the problems of poor internet, electricity and communication infrastructures. For remote towers to work there needs very reliable digital connectivity. Normally four separate connections to provide security. This reality is that in some of these airports there is not one adequate digital link, far less four independent ones.

Mrs Grant added afterwards: "This vanity project needs to be stopped now, before it causes irrevocable harms to Scotland's communities."

John Finnie MSP said "The process was flawed"

Liam McArthur MSP for Orkney called for a halt to the proposals.

Summing up Michael Mathieson, Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Infrastructure and Connectivity spoke about why the changes were necessary and emphasised safety and new regulations on controlled air space and said doing nothing would lead to the possible cessation of air services. He said although the current set up was safe but this new set up would be even safer. He did concede that there were issues with any system. HIAL must comply with regulations and if thye do nothing they will not comply with new regulations going forward.

The debate ran for about 45 minutes and can be viewed at

https://www.scottishparliament.tv/meeting/members-business-the-proposed-centralisation-of-air-traffic-control-in-the-highlands-and-islands-january-23-2020

PHOTO

Gail Ross MSP at the debate in the Scottish Parliament on 23 January 2020.