‘Historic moment’ as Orkney Islands Council invests in third aircraft to support isles connectivity

Orkney Islands Council has unveiled a £2million package of strategic capital investments aimed at enhancing the resilience and sustainability of the county’s vital inter-island transport links.

The proposals - backed by £2 million of one-off ScotWind funding from the Scottish Government - will include supporting the purchase of a Britten-Norman Islander aircraft to boost capacity and reliability on the inter-island air service.

The Council is also set to purchase a landing craft vessel to provide flexible support across the internal ferry network and a runway roller/compactor to improve the maintenance of island airfields.

The new aircraft will provide resilience for the islands as well as additional capacity by reducing the number of shared flights, while the landing craft will provide essential cover during ferry outages and peak periods. The roller/compactor will enable in-house teams to maintain airfields, ensuring compliance with the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA).

The full package is aimed at ensuring continuity for island residents and businesses, reducing service vulnerability and mitigating operational risks.

With the proposals for the purchase agreed by Elected Members at Full Council earlier this month, the Council can now move to procurement and consulting with North Isles communities on the inter-island air services timetable based on a three aircraft operation.

Council Leader Heather Woodbridge has welcomed the backing of her fellow Elected Members on the proposals, describing the decision as an ‘historic moment’ for Orkney Islands Council in its ongoing work to meet isles connectivity challenges.

She said: “This investment represents a vital step forward in securing the future of our lifeline transport services. By taking a proactive approach, we’re not only addressing current challenges but also building resilience for the years ahead.

“These assets will help ensure that our island communities remain connected, supported, and sustainable.  The support from the Scottish Government in meeting these aims is hugely welcomed and testament to the good work that is taking place through our meetings with ministers and officials. Together these positive relationships and effective collaboration means we can tackle the challenges our communities face across our transport networks.

“The decision by Elected Members to use the funding in this way and take the huge step of purchasing an aircraft is an historic moment for this Council and I’m proud that we are making smart use of this one-off funding to deliver real, lasting benefits for Orkney.”

Scottish Government Finance Secretary Shona Robison said:  “We recognised the unique challenges faced by island communities and the importance of targeted support to improve connectivity for people in Orkney. This funding helps the local community to develop solutions to these challenges whilst delivering on the ambitions of the National Islands Plan.”