Additional options

While the plan above recommends a core investment programme, there are a number of opportunities to enhance the networks during the life of this Plan that have been identified for further consideration. Some have already been confirmed:

• Resilience vessel for the CHFS major vessel fleet
• Two-vessel summer service for the Little Minch.

Other potential changes to services, with implications for the future investment programme set out in future versions of this Plan, are expected to be identified through:

• Responses to the consultation on this draft Plan
• Impact assessments
• Community Needs Assessments.

Any proposed changes will be subject to Value for Money and affordability. Due to the scale of investment needed to deliver the plan, the opportunity to implement some of these enhancements is likely to come in the longer-term, once the significant investment identified for the next decade to maintain the current network of services has been secured – see section on Investment Prioritisation, above.

Although we aim to finalise this Plan in 2024, the intention is that it is reviewed and fully updated every five years so that there is always a 20-25 year forward look. However, it also intended that the Plan is refreshed every two to three years to reflect changes – recognising that this Plan is dynamic not static – see the above section on “Monitoring and Review”.