Greene secures island support fund but questions exclusions

West of Scotland MSP and Scottish Liberal Democrat transport spokesperson Jamie Greene has today said that a newly announced fund to support businesses on eight islands affected by ongoing disruption to ferry services is long overdue but doesn’t go far enough. He has questioned why key island and mainland communities affected by ferry disruption have been excluded.

Mr Greene previously wrote to the Scottish Government asking for a compensation fund to be put in place to support businesses which suffer from reduced footfall or cancellations due to ferry problems. The Scottish Government has now announced a £4.4 million support fund for island businesses. The Island Business Resilience Fund (IBRF) is expected to pay grants of up to £35,000 to eligible businesses on the islands of South Uist, Colonsay, North Uist, Eriskay, Benbecula, Berneray, Grimsay and Arran.

The government has said the size of the award will be based on demand and the size of businesses that apply, but that payments are expected to range between £3,000 and £35,000.

Commenting on the scheme, Mr Greene said:

“Together with island campaigners and local businesses, this is something that I have been calling on for many months, so this is long overdue progress.

“Now ministers must get money out the door quickly to businesses who are on the brink through no fault of their own.

“Despite this step forward, I am concerned that not all the businesses who need it will get support.

“In Cumbrae, for example, they have been disrupted by ferry chaos but are left out from the proposals. Other island communities will feel equally hard done by.

“Equally, a mainland community like Ardrossan which is heavily dependent on visitors enroute to Arran, most of whom have been absent due to the ferry operating out of Troon, won’t see a penny in compensation.

“Ministers should make sure that the scheme is open to all of those who have been affected by the government’s ferry fiasco.”