Report ordered on Highland freight charges
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• A report which is likely to shape the pattern of freight charges in the Highlands and islands is to be prepared by Associated Industrial Consultants Ltd„ of Edinburgh.
Announcing this in Inverness on August 28, Dr. J. Dickson Mabon, Minister of State, Scottish Office, said the consultants report would primarily concern the Scottish Transport Group, but it would also affect the North of Scotland, Orkney and Shetland Steam Navigation Co.
He hoped they would have the report by the end of the year, when it would be discussed by the Scottish Office, the Scottish Transport Group, and the Highlands and Islands Development Board.
Dr. Mabon said it was vital that they should get something settled of a long-term nature regarding the transport economy of the Highlands. During his talks with the Board they had called for an end to deficit financing and suggested that the sea routes should be regarded as trunk road routes.
He, for his part. put forward the suggestion that there should be a subsidy to meet the capital investment required for the building of ships. But at this stage no one knew which was the best answer. There were four or five alternatives, and they would like to have Independent advice as to which was the most sensible.
Dr. Mabon added that he would like the financial arrangements to be homogeneous throughout. It was high time that charges in one part of the Highlands and Islands were the same as in other parts, and that was their aim.
Dealing with criticisms of the recent .10 per cent increase in transport charges in Orkney and Shetland, Dr. Mabon emphasized that it was the company, a private one, which had applied for the increases.
The application had been approved by the National Board for Prices and Incomes, who said the company deserved an increase and should get a subsidy from the local authority.
...I don't regard this as a permanent arrangement, but it should be considered until we can sort out this big exercise and get charges on the same basis everywhere in the Highlands," he added.
Mr. Prophet Smith, the Highland Board member with responsibility for transport, said he thought that out of the study they would get a permanent solution which would take them into the 20th century as far as Highland freight charges were concerned.