IOSC Transport Policy – A breath of fresh air!

The impact of the Local Government elections is making itself felt on the IOS Council and its attitude to transport policy.

One of the great frustrations that FRIST has had to live with for most of its existence was an IOS Council that as a body was publicly in denial about the electorate’s concerns over transport links. The most that would be conceded was that there were ‘resilience’ issues. What a breath of fresh air it was to read Clive Mumford’s item on Page 16 of the Cornishman (20 July 2017) entitled “Council makes air-link pledge” relating to recent statements by Cllr Moulson, the new Chair of the IOS Council.

“The new Chairman,of the islands’ Council, Ted Moulson, taking a leaf out of the FRIST manual last week issued a statement pledging that the Council would strive for “a strong, affordable and resilient offer, year round”
The article, after quoting the Chairman’s recent press release (see previous FRIST post) went on……”It (the chairman’s statement) reasserts what was sought in the last Council by a ‘transport forum’ , a ‘task and finish group’, and a ‘Scilly community transport initiative’ , not to mention the ‘Transport, Economic Development and Infrastructure Committee’, of which Mr Moulson himself was chairman.

Later in the article Cllr Moulson is quoted as saying:

The Council of the IOS will be encouraging initiatives to help develop a strong, affordable and resilient passenger and freight offer for the island community and our visitors , year round…….. “An increase in capacity, competition and a choice of operators is key to a vibrant growing economic environment on the islands and in West Cornwall.


Further Comment:

The importance of the IOSC’s advocacy of islanders’ transport concerns cannot be overstated. Whilst the IOSC held the public position that the transport status quo was satisfactory the DofT in London was entirely 'off the hook'. If the IOSC denies there is an issue who are the DofT to contradict them!