Press
19/01/2009
Route Partnership – get it right rather than quick
The MP for the West Cornwall and Isles of Scilly constituency of St Ives, Andrew George, said when he previewed the exhibition at the weekend (photographs attached) that local people interested or concerned about plans for the development of the Isles of Scilly ferry service should attend the week long exhibition at the Penzance Gallery close to the site which Penwith District Council (which owns the Harbour) and the Council of the Isles of Scilly and Cornwall County Council wish to see developed and extended.
After the exhibition in September – which should have been followed by a planning application in October – Mr George called upon the Route Partnership to extend its consultation and to give many of those whom he felt were not fully aware of the proposals or who had not had the opportunity to comment, an extension of time. The exhibition is, in part, a response to that request. Mr George has also called for a public meeting which he has offered to chair. No decision has been made regarding that request.
Mr George, who has helped the Partnership in the past in making representations to the Department for Transport for funding and in other ways and who became involved in the debate around the extension of the harbour at St Mary’s (where the majority of local people have accepted the proposal and the plans are ready to go) said:
“The sea link to the Isles of Scilly has required review for sometime. In comparison with developments in passenger sea links throughout Europe, the Isles of Scilly service has become out of date and deserves significant investment. It is not possible to achieve the kind of upgrade and improvements which the ferry and cargo service need without causing some disruption and creating some contention somewhere.
“That is why the primary focus of this consultation should be for local people to examine whether the Route Partnership has properly weighed up the alternative schemes if the extension of the South Pier onto the Battery Rocks is unacceptable.
“Objectors have raised reasonable concerns which must be fully addressed. I will be offering support to the Route Partnership in the confirmation that the funding offered for the development of the route will be protected and that the local community should not be ‘railroaded’ into accepting a scheme in haste without full consideration. Although I don’t believe that the scheme would need to be delayed for years, getting the Penzance Harbour arrangements right is clearly more important than getting the scheme done quickly,” said Mr George.
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