Transport Secretary acknowledges
the importance of the vital ferry link
to the Scillies

17.06.2010  The MP for the West Cornwall and Isles of Scilly constituency of St Ives, Andrew George, pressed the Transport Secretary, Rt. Hon Philip Hammond MP, in the House of Commons this morning to acknowledge the importance of the Isles of Scilly ferry link project and not to withdraw funding.

The Transport Secretary had announced last Friday that all major transport schemes would be suspended pending a review which would report in the autumn and that no funds would be provided in the present financial year. Mr George had already tackled Transport Ministers to seek their reassurance that whilst the suspension was disappointing, the Isles of Scilly ferry link project would not lose its vital funding.

Mr George asked the Transport Secretary “in suspending major schemes is he aware that in the case of the Isles of Scilly ferry project his own Maritime and Coastguard Agency may not give the service the necessary authority to continue for much longer?

“The project has been 10 years in preparation, is 99% ready to start and is an absolutely vital lifeline to the islands.”

In responding, the Transport Secretary told Mr George that he recognised the “vital nature of the link to the Isles of Scilly.”