Highlands And Islands MSPs Meet Transport Minister, Fiona Hyslop Regarding Wick PSO

27th December 2023

Highlands and Islands MSPs Rhoda Grant and Edward Mountain met with Transport Minister, Fiona Hyslop, yesterday to make the case for the continuation of funding for the Wick PSO.

The MSPs met with the Transport Minister to support the continuation of funding for the Wick PSO stating that passenger numbers are increasing and that the service demand is growing post covid.

Although no decision has been made yet by the Scottish Government, both Rhoda and Edward listed reasons as to why the service should continue to the Transport Minister. This included health provision, tourism, the Sutherland Spaceport, Scrabster Harbour, offshore wind and local business activity.

Additionally the MSPs expressed concerns over the future of Wick airport should the Eastern Airways service end.

The meeting ended with the Transport Minister promising to look further into the issue but expressed concern as Scottish Government finances are limited.

Speaking after the meeting, Labour MSP Rhoda Grant said: "I thank the Minister for meeting us. The reality is that Caithness can almost become an island with rail and roads being poor and often inaccessible in bad weather.

“Thus I believe it is vital that this service continues post March 2024 for health provision, business provision and tourism. The Minister did listen but time will tell whether the future of Wick PSO is safe."

Conservative MSP Edward Mountain said: “I was very pleased to meet the Transport Minister along with my colleague, Rhoda Grant MSP.

I expressed my concerns to the Transport Minister about how much the local economy relies on the airport. It is not just about passengers numbers, which are rising, but also about the need for the airport to be used to transfer patients to Inverness or Aberdeen.

Whilst understanding that finances are stretched I pointed out to the Minister that this really is a lifeline service and seldom have I seen a local campaign which has support across all sectors in the community.”

Trudy Morris, Chief Executive of Caithness Chamber of Commerce said: ““The North Highland region is the most remote part of the Scottish mainland, recent storms and their knock-on travel disruptions have once again highlighted the stark reality of the fragility of travel connectivity in the North Highlands, particularly during the winter months - which in many ways can render Caithness as a landlocked island.

“Lifeline air connectivity is vital to our businesses and communities, and an essential component in the overall transport connectivity to and from the region. There are no proposed major investments in our roads or rail infrastructure on the horizon which offer meaningful reduction in journey times in the short to medium term, or alternative solutions which connect our region physically to markets and opportunities. Uncertainty and threat to air service is a of great concern for our region.

“The North Highland region is at the cusp of transformational developments including offshore wind, the Sutherland Spaceport, hydrogen production, net zero transport projects and a Flow Country UNESCO World Heritage Site bid. Investors consistently highlight strong transport links as crucial to their operation and growth. Government decision-making must reflect confidence in the long-term vision of our region, supporting our rural economies to thrive. Our region deserves both the equity and the stability to be able to harness the opportunities presented to us. Connectivity is crucial for the sustainability of our region and rural communities.

“The airport also serves our buoyant tourism sector, which adds £135m to the local economy. The PSO flight schedule is central to the sustainability of Wick John O'Groats Airport and the route is demonstrating sustained and consistent growth. Passenger numbers have increased by an average of 27%, breaking through the 1,000 per month barrier. This increase is fuelled

by strong demand from the business sector and innovative promotions to reach leisure passengers. It is our ambition to grow this and there is a strong partnership working across the public and private sectors.”

A Public Service Obligation is a type of contract often used to support public transport between two or more regions, where it is not possible for the service to be delivered commercially. These are generally used in Scotland on what are called "lifeline" services. In this case, it is the Wick to Aberdeen flight.

This PSO is s funded by Transport Scotland (£1 million per year) and Highland Council (£300,000 per year).