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Ferry prices to topple
Page 12
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FREIGHT FARES on ferries from Aberdeen to the Northern Isles may fall by up to 25% next spring.
The fare cuts on routes linking Aberdeen with Shetland and Orkney are to be built into the tendering process for services on the 'lifeline routes' — but shorter routes to the islands from Scrabster in Caithness, will not be cut as they are already regarded as competitive.
Murray Prentice is MD of Jim Brackenridge Transport (JBT), which typically sends half a dozen unaccompanied trailers to Shetland every night. 'The last time the service was taken over fares jumped by over half and,even though they have come back down since, it is good to see freight traffic considered in the latest proposals," he says.
"It indicates that they have taken notice of what we said during the consultation process."
JBT runs 50 vehicles and has bases in Orkney and Shetland, as well as mainland Scotl and, making it one of the biggest users of the ferry services, which are currently run by NorthLink. JBT and two other Scottish hauliers had previously been in dispute with NorthLink after it won the contract and bumped up rates.
The preferred bidderis expected to be revealed early next year with the new service beginning in April.