Get behind terminal plans says convener
(From The Orcadian dated January 25, 2000)

OIC convener, Councillor Hugh Halcro-Johnston, has called on the whole of Orkney to get behind plans for a new ferry terminal at Hatston, warning that a divide in the community could jeopardise the project.

Speaking during a debate on the terminal at Monday evening's Kirkwall Community Council meeting, he urged members to wait for technical information on the terminal, which is due to be presented to next week's OIC transportation committee meeting, before lobbying Scottish Transport Minister Sarah Boyack on the issue.

The community council are planning to write to the Minister to counteract a number of letters sent by councillors and community interests in Stromness, who oppose the terminal plans.

However, Councillor Halcro-Johnston cautioned: "I would say that the Stromness lobby is guilty of breaking its own criteria about the need for all the information (on the proposed terminal) being to hand. I believe their actions will be extremely damaging to Orkney. Not only will it delay the project, but much worse, it undermines the chances of getting grant assistance towards the new terminal.

"There is nothing that politicians like less than a community divided. I hope that both sides of Orkney will get behind a very worthwhile project for everybody."

Kirkwall Community Council chairman, Mr Spencer Rosie, had kicked off the debate, stating: "Stromness Community Council have had a meeting with Mr John Horton of Northlink about their new service. The company's plans will have important ramifications for Kirkwall too. I am concerned that the democratic process will be usurped again. I think we should try and get involved, and invite Mr Horton to meet with Kirkwall Community Council, and possibly make it a public meeting."

Mr Rosie added: "We have always argued the need for a deep water facility at Hatston to take pressure off Kirkwall Pier. I believe the Crowness scheme will have an enormous long-term benefit for the whole of Orkney. I hope that a vocal minority will not scupper the Crowness project for the rest of us."

Councillor Jack Moodie commented: "It's time that the silent majority made their views known, or else the opportunity to have a terminal at Hatston will go like it did in the 1980s."

Mr Rosie suggested writing to Scottish Transport Minister Sarah Boyack, to "counteract the views coming from Stromness, otherwise she'll only be getting one side of the story."

Councillor Mike Drever agreed that the community council should write a letter of support, backing the democratic process taken by the OIC.

OIC convener, Councillor Hugh Halcro-Johnston, said: "My understanding of the Stromness letters to Sarah Boyack is that they complain the OIC acted precipitately in making their decision about the Crowness terminal, without going through the normal council process of getting a full project appraisal first, so that all the technical information was before them.

"The thing that speeded the process up was that we were under extreme pressure from the Scottish Executive and Northlink to get the arrangements for the new ferry service agreed. The decision doesn't mean that the technical information is not available. It is likely to be presented to the council's transportation committee, a week today. The background papers for that meeting will have to be issued a few days before that date, so I suggest you wait before sending off the community council letter until you've seen that information."

It was delegated to the chairman and vice-chairman of the community council, along with a third member, Mr Tom Rendall, to study the OIC technical information, before submitting their letter to the Transport Minister.

The former OIC director of harbours, Captain Bob Sclater, said that he had spoken to Mr Horton when the newest CalMac ferry had visited Stromness last spring, and had told him then, that they would have to bring that size of vessel into Kirkwall rather than Stromness, because of the manoeuvrability problems

Councillor Sclater added: "I definitely think it will be better to take the new larger ship into Kirkwall."

Mrs Mhairi Trickett expressed concern that visiting liners were going to be forced to use the new deep water terminal at Crowness. She felt that visitors got a good impression of Kirkwall by coming up the pier.

However, Councillor Halcro-Johnston said that he had been out to visit some of the bigger liners in Kirkwall Bay, and he noted how many passengers stayed on board the ship, because they refused to use the small tender vessels to take them into the pier.

He pointed out that most of these larger liners would be able to berth alongside the new deep water terminal at Crowness which would allow all passengers to come ashore, if they wanted. But it was explained that smaller liners would continue to be able to opt to berth alongside Kirkwall Pier.