Moratorium call

The three Island Councils have called for a moratorium on plans by Highlands and Islands Airports Limited (HIAL) to centralise air traffic control services.

They are asking for the moratorium pending an Islands Communities Impact Assessment as legislated for under the Islands Act.

Comhairle nan Eilean Siar, Shetland and Orkney Islands Councils have made the request following HIAL’s decision to move forward with the centralisation of Air Traffic Control services to Inverness.

The controversial move was debated in the Scottish Parliament last week where the plans were condemned by many Highland and Island MSPs.

HIAL is a public company wholly owned by Scottish Ministers who have been asked to intervene in the proposals which would see jobs being lost in the islands.

A spokesperson for the Island Councils said: “All three Island Councils are of the view that, in line with legislation under the Islands Act, a full Islands Communities Impact Assessment should be carried out before any more work is carried out on the centralisation of ATC services.

“Not only would the centralisation of these services lose skilled island jobs, they could also curtail the future development of the island airports.

“Centralisation of services and jobs is entirely contrary to what island authorities have been working towards over the past few years in terms of growing island economies.

"We believe there are other options which should be more fully explored, such as those that HIAL’s own consultants previously highlighted. In the meantime it is imperative that the centralisation process is halted to assess the true impact this will have on our Island communities”.

Airports affected by the centralisation proposals include Sumburgh, Kirkwall, Stornoway and Benbecula.