Rhoda Grant

Scottish Labour has revealed that the amount being paid out in compensation to CalMac customers has soared four-fold over the last four years.

In 2018-19 – the year that the delayed Ferguson’s Marine ferries were originally scheduled to be delivered – a total of £159,000 was paid out to CalMac customers for disruptions. This works out at an average of £13,250 a month.

In the first four months of 2022-23 alone, CalMac had already paid out £215,000 – an average of £53,000 per month.

This means passengers are facing more delays and disruption on CalMac routes, costing the publicly-owned operator four times more than it did in 2018-19.

Labour warned that the late Ferguson’s Marine ferries along with years of poor planning under the SNP have left island communities with an ageing fleet and left taxpayers with spiralling costs.

Commenting, Scottish Labour Islands spokesperson Rhoda Grant said:

“These spiralling costs expose what a mess the SNP have made of lifeline ferry services in Scotland.

“Our ferry fleet has been left to rust because of years of failed planning, as well as the ferry fiasco where the Scottish Government have failed to deliver two new ferries.

“Now islanders are stuck with chaos, cancellations and delays while taxpayers foot the bill.

“The SNP have no short-term answers and no long term plan to fix this shambles. We need a national ferry building programme that supports Scotland’s shipbuilding industry and delivers the ferries we need.  In the meantime, they must buy additional tonnage to have enough capacity to cover the daily breakdowns that are happening due to the ageing fleet.”

Highlands and Islands Labour MSP, Rhoda Grant, has written to Transport Scotland to ask what stage the road safety improvements identified for the Tore area are at.

Potential improvements were identified in the recent A9 North Kessock to Tore Study and, following recent accidents in the area, the MSP is keen to know what stage things are at.

Rhoda Grant said “While I appreciate that the recent accidents may have been due to weather conditions, nonetheless, I am keen to see improvements introduced as soon as possible in the area.

“We have seen some short term improvements introduced at the Munlochy junction which are very welcome and I’d like to see things improved around the Tore area too.”

My constituency and parliamentary offices will be closed until 8th January 2024.  We will aim to respond to you when we return.

If you have a pressing or urgent concern during this Christmas period, please read through the below list and contact the relevant organisation.

NHS Highland – serving both Highland and Argyll and Bute

Telephone number: 01463 704000

Highland Council

Argyll and Bute Council 

Moray Council 

NHS Grampian – serving Moray area

NHS Shetland 

Shetland Islands Council 

NHS Orkney 

Orkney Islands Council 

NHS Western Isles 

Western Isles Council 

Police 
Emergency Telephone – 999

Non emergency – 101

NHS 24 

Telephone – 111

 

Mental Health Support 

NHS Western Isles Mental Health and Learning Disability Services

Mental Health Support Services in Moray 

Samaritans 

Telephone  – 116 123

Mikey’s Line 

Text: 07786207755

Breathing Space 

Telephone: 0800838587

 

 

 

 

‘Let there be light’ said MSP Rhoda Grant, checking progress of a dark public underpass in the middle of Aviemore after long delays.

But this afternoon (30.11.22) a team arrived from Highland Council finally to instal illuminations into the ceiling of the brick tunnel linking Grampian Road’s busy shopping centre with Dalfaber Road on the other side of the Strathspey Steam Railway line.

On hearing the news of the work start from the Strathy, Mrs Grant said “I’m delighted to see that the work has begun as we head into the winter months.

“These new lights will not only make the pathway safer for pedestrians to use but they will enhance the appearance of the area too.

“I’m grateful to the constituents who raised the issue with me and campaigned so hard to have this valuable work carried out.”

Following much local despair at the state of the dark pathway from the Butcher’s Burn beside Te Vault nightspot, the work had been scheduled for the end of October and due to be completed by mid November.

Article and picture courtesy of the Strathspey & Badenoch Herald

Highlands and Islands Labour MSP, Rhoda Grant, was disappointed to learn that the work to install the lighting at the railway underpass in Aviemore had not yet started, in spite of this having been scheduled to begin almost a month ago.

The work was due to start at the end of October and due to be completed by mid November. However constituents advised the MSP that these scheduled dates had not been met by Highland Council and there were real concerns about this, given that construction works on the Dalfaber rail crossing and road closure mean that this route is the main pedestrian route to Dalfaber at the moment. Constituents advised the MSP that negotiating the underpass and the flooded path is very dangerous at this time.

Given the increased pedestrian numbers together with the ongoing dangers present in the area, Mrs Grant contacted Highland Council again last week asking for an urgent update from them detailing why the work had not yet commenced as was scheduled and asking for a new timeframe of when the work would be carried out.

Rhoda Grant said “Constituents have been very patient here but their fears over safety in the area are very real.

“I was informed late on Friday that the problem was due to resourcing issues within the Inverness team. The Council tells me it has addressed the issue by moving staff from other areas to carry out the works and that the works are due to start early this week, weather permitting.

“They advise that there will be some disruption for pedestrians in the underpass as the works commence but I’m sure folks will put up with the disruption just to see the new lighting finally being installed.”

Picture courtesy of Strathspey & Badenoch Herald

Highlands and Islands Labour MSP, Rhoda Grant, has said she is extremely disappointed with the meeting held yesterday (23.11.22) to discuss progressing the dualling of the A9 between Perth and Inverness, saying that the meeting was not about the dualling at all but was instead about looking at ways of mitigating the number of accidents that are currently happening on the single carriageway sections of the road.

The Minister for Transport, Jenny Gilruth, along with Police Scotland and transport officials met with MSPs to discuss the issue after Mrs Grant had called for a meeting about the number of fatalities over recent months and the timescales for improving the road layout.

Commenting after the meeting, Rhoda Grant said “The Minister discussed using improved lining technology and increasing signage to remind drivers when they are on single carriageway sections while Police Scotland shared their view that driver fatigue was often to blame, coupled with foreign drivers not knowing the road.

“This is all well and good but it doesn’t take us any further forward on when the much needed dualling will progress. The Minister advised that the costs have increased and said it is still the Scottish Government’s aim to dual the whole road but she’s given absolutely no indication of when any of this might progress.

Mrs Grant concluded “It is simply not good enough. The deadline of 2025 is becoming more unachievable day on day but I will continue to do everything within my power to keep the pressure on the Government to get this road upgraded to the standard that it should be. We owe this to the thousands of motorists who use the road daily and to the families who have lost loved ones in such tragic circumstances.”

Highlands and Islands Labour MSP, Rhoda Grant, has welcomed the announcement that traffic will no longer be able to turn right onto the A9 northbound when exiting from the B9161 at Munlochy junction.

The MSP has been pressing for improvements in this area and is pleased that this further safety measure is being introduced, following the street lighting being installed at the junction earlier this year.

Rhoda Grant said “The community has been pushing for improvements at the junction for years now and it is good to see some of this now coming to fruition.

“These small improvements being implemented will go some way to improving the situation while the longer term solutions continue to be looked into.”

She concluded “I will continue to have dialogue with Transport Scotland, Police Scotland and the Scottish Government going forward but I welcome this progress in the meantime.”

Letter from Lorna Slater MSP to Rhoda Grant MSP – Kinloch Castle

Highlands and Islands Labour MSP, Rhoda Grant, has welcomed the news that further talks will take place regarding the impending sale of Kinloch Castle on the Isle of Rum.

The MSP has been advised today (28.10.2022) by the Minister, Lorna Slater, that the Scottish Land Commission has written to all three parties involved with further advice on next steps and ensuring a fair and responsible approach to the proposed sale. The Minister is also to meet with the Isle of Rum Community Trust next week to hear their concerns first hand.

Earlier this year, Mrs Grant had been approached about the impending sale of the Castle which was reported to be due to conclude on Monday, 31 October. The MSP, having previously tabled a Parliamentary Question on the matter, was then contacted by the Isle of Rum Community Trust and advised of their concerns which included access in front of the Castle and power system ownership/control.

Mrs Grant wrote to the Minister and to the Cabinet Secretary, Mairi Gougeon, earlier this week asking for the sale to be paused until the concerns of the community could be heard and addressed. She has now been informed by the Minister that, despite reports in the media, 31 October is not a fixed deadline and more discussions will take place with all parties involved – NatureScot, the Community Trust and the proposed buyer – to discuss next steps.

Rhoda Grant said “I am delighted to hear that all is not lost in terms of the sale which, as it stands, would be in contrast to the Government’s own land reform agenda.

“The Community has very real concerns about the current proposals and the Minister has assured me that she does understand these concerns and that securing a sustainable future for Kinloch Castle will require community interests to be fully recognised in any agreement with the prospective buyer.”

Mrs Grant concluded “It is fantastic news that the community’s voice will now be heard and they will get the chance to discuss their concerns directly with the Minister and with the prospective buyer. It is right that the community is given this opportunity and I look forward to hearing more on this as talks progress.”

Highlands and Islands Labour MSP, Rhoda Grant, who has been pushing for safety measures to be introduced around the railway underpass in Aviemore town centre, is pleased to be advised that work on installing new lighting in the area will commence at the end of October.

The MSP took the issue up with Highland Council back in December 2020 after being contacted by a concerned constituent. Others have also since complained to the MSP about how unsafe the area is, particularly during the winter months and during periods of heavy rain.

Mrs Grant, who visited the area to see the situation for herself shared her constituents concerns and echoed calls for the burn area itself to be cleared of mud and leaves whilst waiting for the new lighting to be installed. Some works were carried out on the burn to drop the water level through the underpass at the beginning of this year which did go some way to helping the problem with high water levels adding risk in the area.

The MSP, who also successfully pressed for lighting along the route which runs parallel to the railway line and connects Osprey Grange, Dalnabay and Silverglades to the town centre said “Constituents had very real concerns about using the area, particularly during periods of heavy rain fall and during winter months, so I am pleased that the lighting will be installed before winter really kicks in.”

She said “The old lighting was beyond any temporary repair and Covid saw a delay in getting access to the lighting equipment required to make the area safer.

Having persevered in pushing Highland Council to install new lighting Mrs Grant said “The new lighting will be mounted on the roof of the tunnel so shouldn’t suffer from the same issues once installed. However as it is complete replacement rather than repair the works will take a bit longer than a normal repair but should be completed by mid November.

She concluded “I’m sure the work on the burn and the new lights will provide a lot more security for people using the area.”

Picture courtesy of Strathspey & Badenoch Herald