00:00So the Highlands and Islands electoral region covers a area larger than Belgium so transport
00:05really is an issue that affects everyone from cars, public transport, flights, ferries. I've
00:11been involved in two campaigns that we've done. One was the dual the A9 campaign in 2023. In that
00:16campaign we obviously lobbied the SNP government at the time who in 2007 set out a plan to ensure
00:23that the A9 was dual by 2025. That was not met. What is absolutely crucial is that that deadline
00:28is met when we get to the 2035 deadline. Another campaign that I was involved in in June 2024
00:34was the build a bypass campaign in Nairn. So at that campaign we had the transport secretary
00:40at the time there and she did make reassurances to everyone in Nairn that for years and years
00:47has been lobbying for a bypass to be built. We're nearly two years on now and there's still no
00:51route map towards what's going to happen with either the A96 or the Nairn bypass. I think other
00:55developments that need to be looked at as well is obviously improving public transport. So in 2008
01:01the government looked at how the Highland main line needed to be dualed and electrified. However
01:07we're now in 2026 there's been no progress on this. Two-thirds of that line is still single track.
01:14What that means is journey times from Inverness to the central belt still take a long time.
01:18The aim in 2008 was to cut the journey time by 30 minutes and that's not happened yet.
01:23Also what I think is crucial for affordability is ensuring that the like of flights and ferries
01:28are definitely more accessible for people across the region. Specifically people that are living in
01:32island communities. So some of my colleagues that work at the Shetland Times have been up to visit
01:37them a few times and you know I've heard horror stories certainly from people that have been
01:43traveling from Shetland elsewhere. There was a family of four that six months in advance looked up
01:48flights to and from Shetland to Glasgow and it was going to cost £1,200. That's an abhorrent price
01:54to be honest. So I know there's already a levy for people that live in Shetland that ensure that there
02:02is a discount on flights that they're getting to the mainland. However it makes it very difficult for
02:07them to afford to get to the mainland making it hard for them to be connected. Also I think it's
02:12going to drive down tourism if it's that expensive to get to and from the island places like Shetland
02:17or Lewis. It's really difficult going forward. I think it's really put in perspective as well
02:21when you know I've gone on easyjet flights recently to London Gatwick and you can get a return flight
02:28without baggage for less than £100. I think I got it for £60 quite recently. So if a family of
02:34four
02:34are paying £1,200 to get from Shetland to Glasgow why is it so much more expensive than we can
02:39fly to
02:40London it's really important going forward that there is a almost a fair cap as well on flights
02:45as there is with buses. So what I want from the government that are coming in next is they need
02:51to deliver their promises on deadlines, they need to develop the assurances that they've made for
02:55people and they need to address the connectivity and affordability of public transport both to help
03:01people economically and to help the environment going forward.
Comments