Executive summary
The Islands Connectivity Plan (ICP) sets out the Scottish Government’s long-term objectives and policies for ensuring necessary and sustainable transport links for our islands. The Plan has been developed to replace the Ferries Plan 2013-2022, but is wider in scope, taking account of ferry services, aviation, and fixed links, as well as onward and connecting travel. The Islands Connectivity Plan comprises an overarching Strategic Approach paper - supported by a number of delivery plans - of which this is one.
As a key element of the Islands Connectivity Plan, this Vessels and Ports Plan provides detail on the Scottish Government’s objectives for the Clyde & Hebrides Ferry Services (CHFS) and Northern Isles Ferry Services (NIFS), for which the Scottish Ministers are directly responsible.
Engagement with key stakeholders during the development of this Vessels and Ports Plan indicates that reliability and resilience are their key priorities for vessel and port investment.
Meeting objectives to address these priorities will primarily be realised by upgrading existing infrastructure and replacing the existing vessels with an efficient and sustainable modern ferry fleet.
This Plan sets out the recommended investment programme needed to maintain and safely operate lifeline ferry services, including measures to:
- renew the fleet and upgrade ports in response to asset age and condition;
- improve weather resilience and technical reliability when investing in new vessels and port upgrades;
- improve accessibility in the fleet and ports;
- improve resilience through an expansion in the major vessel fleet and through increased inter-operability and standardisation of vessels and ports.
This Plan outlines the need for significant and sustained funding to achieve its delivery as an integral part of progress towards establishing a secure and sustainable long-term financial foundation for our ferry networks, as set out in our Strategic Approach paper. It will inform transport investment in Scotland for around the next 20 years (2024-2045) by providing evidence-based recommendations on which Scottish Ministers can base future ferry investment decisions.
The second Strategic Transport Projects Review represents the strategic case for investment by the Scottish Government in ferry vessel renewal and replacement in addition to progressive decarbonisation and for investment in port infrastructure to support that.
In the context of constrained public finances in the years ahead, we must ensure that investment achieves Value for Money, informed by the Scottish Government’s aims set out in the National Islands Plan and the National Transport Strategy.
We will capture value by taking a holistic view of the benefits and costs of the investment. It is recognised that there are a number of costs and benefits associated with ferry services that cannot be easily quantified or monetised such as integration, accessibility and social inclusion. The cost of that investment is offset in part through fares revenue, which needs to be balanced with maintaining the principles of affordable and sustainable fares structures to support our island communities.
Delivery against this Plan will also require decisions to be taken as part of annual budget reviews going forward. The Plan, therefore, proposes an objective and transparent approach to “investment prioritisation”, that would guide those difficult prioritisation decisions.
This Vessel and Ports Plan will be finalised later in 2024 as part of the overall work on the Islands Connectivity Plan. This will enable it to be shaped in light of consultation responses and the outcomes of the refreshed needs assessments that we intend to undertake over the short to medium term for each community served by CHFS and NIFS services.