Meeting of the Parliament 24 November 2016
Given the huge diversity of the islands, the focus is often on geographically distant communities, such as those in Orkney, Shetland and the Outer Hebrides. Such communities are undoubtedly impacted by their distance from mainland facilities, but every island is unique and faces its own set of challenges.
As the member for Cunninghame North, I represent the isles of Arran, Cumbrae and Holy Isle, which have just over 4,600, 1,400 and 31 inhabitants respectively, and have very distinctive characters.
Holy Isle is owned by the Samye Ling Buddhist community, whose settlements on the island include the centre for world peace and health. On the island’s southern end lives a community of nuns, who are undertaking three-year retreats. The remainder of the island is treated as a nature reserve, with its wild Eriskay ponies, Saanen goats, Soay sheep and the rock whitebeam tree, which is unique to Holy Isle and Arran.
Great Cumbrae and uninhabited Wee Cumbrae together boast a castle, a lighthouse, the cathedral of the isles, a Field Studies Council centre, the sportscotland national sailing centre and the famous crocodile rock.
Great Cumbrae, which is known to Glaswegians by its town, Millport, is Scotland’s cycling island. Like all island communities, it has challenges. However, the community is ambitious. It is seeking to develop a community care hub on the island and, together with Largs, to attract the para world sailing championships.
The SNP manifesto contained a clear substantial promise to empower island communities. The newly-elected SNP Government has wasted no time in living up to that commitment. After only three months in government, a consultation on an islands bill had been carried out, and a dedicated islands strategic group has been formed, which includes North Ayrshire Council and covers the Cumbraes and Arran.
I welcome the approach that is being taken. The SNP Government is under no illusions about the importance and scale of the improvements that are required if we are to better serve our island communities. It is vital that issues that affect island communities continue to be actioned under existing frameworks and ministerial portfolios as we progress. Tavish Scott talked about health in that context.
My constituency can supply an obvious example of the importance of making the right decisions at ministerial level. One objective in the manifesto for the islands is to
“invest in quality ferry services; keep ferry fares as low as possible, and provide concessionary travel for our older people”.
We talk about “lifeline” ferry services for a reason. Over the past few years, the SNP Government has driven massive improvements in our ferry services to Arran and Cumbrae. The introduction of the road equivalent tariff led to a huge reduction in ferry fares. That and the current freeze have resulted in a significant increase in passenger and vehicle numbers. The number of summer sailings has increased, and the new £12.3 million hybrid ferry MV Catriona, which serves the Lochranza to Claonaig route, entered service in September and has increased comfort and capacity while reducing emissions. I was delighted that the minister was there for the launch of the new ferry.
A new £47 million ferry is being built in Port Glasgow to serve the Ardrossan to Brodick route, which means that two vessels will sail the route all year round. That will be another massive boost. Meanwhile, a new £28 million harbour in Brodick is being built and will be completed in the spring. That will greatly increase the number of vessels that can dock, and the terminal building and access from the car park will be improved.
As a consequence of investment by the SNP Government, Arran’s economy grew by a thumping 10 per cent last year—that is more than China’s growth rate. The 182-year old ferry route between Brodick and Ardrossan has seen, and should continue to see, further improvements, which will benefit the local economy of Arran as well as Ardrossan on the mainland. An Ardrossan harbour task force was set up, with a view to making investment to serve Arran. However, Associated British Ports has put in a hostile bid to move the service from Ardrossan to Troon, which would mean a journey of 18 nautical miles—50 per cent longer—with increased sailing times and ferry prices and fewer sailings. That would impact on capacity, affordability and competitiveness. It would also damage the North Ayrshire economy to the tune of some £4.7 million a year, making it harder for North Ayrshire Council to service Arran and costing 165 jobs in Ardrossan.
Troon harbour does not even have a railway station, whereas at Ardrossan harbour the train comes right up to the ferry terminal. To move the ferry to Troon would go against the Government’s manifesto commitment to make public transport accessible to older people. Older people make up a significant proportion of Arran’s residents and visitors. For those reasons, among others, I am confident that the impending Scottish transport appraisal guidance will only serve to highlight that Ardrossan is the best berthing place in Ayrshire for the lifeline Arran ferry service.
Of course, Arran is not all about ferries. It is a beautiful island—“Scotland in miniature”, as it is often called—with feisty people, who support the July 2013 undertaking by the SNP Government that islands should enjoy the
“maximum degree of local decision making”.
Island folk want to make things happen. We have strong businesses, such as Arran Aromatics, Taste of Arran and the Auchrannie Leisure resort. According to Cottages and Castles, which is an accommodation provider, things are going well: bookings have rocketed and are up 47 per cent this year.
A new distillery will be built in south Arran, which represents a £10 million investment, while the distillery in picturesque Lochranza invested in new facilities in what was a record year for visitors.
Significant progress is being made on superfast broadband, although it is not yet delivered to the standard that we expect. Mobile coverage is another issue. Two years ago, the UK Government wrote to me saying that Arran is not a priority in that regard. I ask our Tory colleagues who aspire to represent Arran and other islands to speak to their UK colleagues about that.
On 28 October, Glenkiln Hydro power plant opened. It will generate enough electricity to power up to 500 homes and will provide 15 per cent of Arran’s electricity.
I have tried to get across how important it is to island communities that, irrespective of their size or remoteness, their voices are heard, whether through island proofing or through the existing framework. The islands bill is clearly a step in that direction because it will give island communities more input in decision making. It is about time that more tailor-made policies were put in place for our islands.