At 9:15 a.m. Wednesday, August 11, SKAT mounted a presence at Uig to welcome to Skye, Sarah Boyack, MSP, Minister for Transport and the Environment. In an August 3rd letter to Miss Boyack, SKAT had asked to make contact with her at her stepping on point on Skye at Uig and stepping off point from Skye at Armadale.
SKAT wishes to register with her that New Labour's attitude to road tolling as a policy for relieving congestion and protecting the environment finds 'no case to answer' here on Skye; that tolling on the A87 is a barrier damaging to our vital tourist industry, places unfair increased costs on our local and Western Isles' industries and businesses; restricts the free movement of our communities on what is a rural road also,SKAT wishes to repeat the request contained in that August 3rd letter for a meeting with her to present SKAT's financial case for removal of tolls on the A87. 'A case can now be made that, with the will, the tolls can be removed from the Skye Bridge with a consequent saving to the taxpayer' Copies of that case will be sent to all MSP beginning mid-August to build cross party support in the Scottish Parliament for removal of tolling on the A87 Skye Bridge Crossing.
At 12:25 p.m. at Armadale Miss Boyack was presented with her SKAT CREW BADGE by Freida Murray, SKAT NEWS editor, for successfully avoiding paying the toll on the A87 by making use of the 'alternate' route, a route admitted by the former Scottish Office that did not meet alternate route requirements in that it is: not within 5 miles of the A87 and free of ferry or toll.
In a letter responding to the brief hearing given by Miss Boyack, SKAT expresses their encouragement 'by your willingness to listen, your desire for additional information and your assurances that the situation is being monitored." and "the possibility of a meeting ..to present our financial case'.
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Copyright © Ray Shields, 1999.
Most recent revision, 27 August 1999