The Scottish Highlands and Islands are facing a critical issue with their air transport infrastructure, and it's time for the government to step up and address it. The Highlands and Islands Transport Partnership (HITRANS) has issued a stark warning, urging ministers to stop treating regional flights as isolated commercial routes and instead recognize them as an integral part of Scotland's essential national transport network. This is a call to action that should not be ignored.
The recent row over Loganair's planned timetable changes has exposed a far bigger problem than the loss of individual flights. It has highlighted the absence of a clear strategic framework for the future of regional air connectivity in Scotland. This is a major concern, especially for the communities across the Highlands and Islands that continue to face uncertainty over transport connections.
In my opinion, the Scottish government has been too slow to respond to the challenges facing regional aviation. While they have long-term strategies for roads, railways, and ferries, there remains no overarching strategy defining the level of air connectivity that island and remote communities should reasonably expect. This is a critical oversight, as aviation plays a vital role in helping patients reach hospital appointments and allowing public services to function.
The current situation is a result of the government's failure to integrate aviation into wider transport planning. HITRANS argues that air services cannot be considered in isolation, as island communities depend on ferries, aircraft, roads, and rail working together as an integrated transport system. This is a wise observation, and it's time for the government to take a more holistic approach to regional aviation.
The partnership also points out that Scotland's economic future increasingly depends on strong regional aviation. There are more than 250 major investment opportunities across renewable energy, offshore wind, hydrogen, ports, marine industries, tourism, and life sciences worth more than £100 billion. This is a significant economic opportunity that should not be missed.
What makes this particularly fascinating is the potential for aviation to stimulate demand and strengthen the long-term viability of regional services. HITRANS provides evidence of this, including a 37.5% increase in passenger numbers on Aberdeen-Kirkwall services between September 2017 and February 2018, a 33.4% rise on Glasgow-Stornoway over the same period, and 27.3% growth on Shetland routes between September 2017 and January 2018. This suggests that lower fares can produce sharp increases in passenger numbers, which is a positive sign for the future of regional aviation.
In my opinion, the Scottish government should consider managing regional aviation in the same way many cities are beginning to plan bus networks. Instead of judging every route on whether it makes money individually, stronger services could support socially necessary routes that are less commercially viable but remain essential for island communities. This is a more sustainable approach to regional aviation.
The memo concludes that ministers should now lead a national review of Highlands and Islands aviation rather than waiting for the next route to come under threat. It's time for the Scottish government to take charge of bringing together all the key organizations involved in regional aviation and developing an evidence-led long-term strategy. This is a critical step towards ensuring the long-term viability of regional air connectivity in Scotland.
