What its position is on introducing three return sailings between Stromness and Scrabster between March and October each year.

Three return sailings are already provided on the Scrabster – Stromness service from mid-May to early September, excluding Sundays, to cater for the increased demand over this period. A third sailing is also provided on other particularly busy days throughout the year.
Transport Scotland, on behalf of Scottish Ministers, commissioned independent transport specialists to undertake a comprehensive transport appraisal, in line with the Scottish Transport Appraisal Guidance (STAG), which involved exploring and assessing the specification of both the next Northern Isles Ferry Services contract, as well as the new fares structure set to be introduced in the first half of 2018.
As part of that, a working group was set up by Transport Scotland, which included representatives from Shetland Islands Council, Orkney Islands Council, HITRANS and Highlands & Islands Enterprise to oversee the study. Feedback from the group was fed into the study, which has now concluded. We are currently considering the findings of the study, which presents a variety of different options in relation to service provision across the Pentland Firth. The study report is currently being finalised and is due to be published before the end of the year.