Western Isles hauliers to meet Keith Brown

Western Isles haulage firm bosses are to meet with Transport Minister Keith Brown later to discuss plans to remove discounted ferry travel for hauliers.
The Outer Hebrides Transport Group said removing road equivalent tariff (RET) from freight would lead to a 175% increase in travel costs from April.

Local authority Comhairle nan Eilean Siar is backing the group's call.

Mr Brown has confirmed small commercial vehicles up to six metres long will be eligible for RET fares from the spring.

Last month the transport minister agreed to a meeting with a number of hauliers in Edinburgh to discuss a new rebate scheme for larger commercial vehicles.

RET sets fares to the equivalent cost for travelling the distance by road.

A pilot project has been running in the Western Isles, Coll and Tiree since October 2008 and is due to end in spring 2012.

The Scottish government plans to continue the scheme and roll it out to other routes.
Continuing discussions
Speaking ahead of the meeting Mr Brown said: "The Scottish government is absolutely committed to supporting our island and remote communities and underlined this commitment recently when we announced the roll out of RET to all CalMac routes across Scotland.

"We also agreed as part of our draft Ferries Plan to look at extending the current definition of a commercial vehicle for small commercial vehicles.

"We have listened to views and I am delighted to confirm that as part of the transitional arrangements for commercial vehicles on routes to the Western Isles, Coll and Tiree, we have brought forward the introduction of the new qualifications for small commercial vehicles."

He said typically smaller commercial vehicles could expect to make savings of between a third and a half compared with current fares on all RET pilot routes.

He added: "As part of the RET roll out, we announced a new rebate scheme for larger commercial vehicles and have been in discussion with hauliers.

"I look forward to continuing those discussions today as we move forward in finding an affordable and fair level of rebate for all haulage firms who qualify under the new scheme."

source - BBC