Writing to a variety of organisations including port and harbour authorities, the UK Major Ports Group (UKMPG), British Ports Association (BPA), various Enterprise Networks, Regional Transport Partnerships and other key port sector stakeholders, Tavish Scott SMP, said: “I attach considerable importance to Scotland’s ports.They are an essential and dynamic part of Scotland's transport infrastructure. I want ports to develop, thrive and innovate. I particularly want to consider their development as part of Scotland's long term transport needs.

“Therefore, as an integral part of Scotland's National Transport Strategy (NTS) consultation, I wanted to pursue a number of particular issues, and ensure we achieve some practical outcomes.” Highlighting the fact that the UK Department for Transport published its Ports Policy Review discussion document last May,Mr Tavish notes that the Department for Transport consultation covered areas reserved to the UK Government but which have an impact on ports in Scotland.“On devolved ports matters,I would be grateful for your advice,”says Mr Tavish. “Effectively, the results of the review were largely as anticipated,”the BPA’s Mr Bishop tells Port Strategy.

“The Executive is not keen to instigate change, and will continue to watch developments at Westminster closely, and the DfT is not yet in a position to report on the findings of its own review, although details are  expected to filter out during before the summer.”

Prior to July 1999, the Secretary of State for Scotland was responsible for fishery harbours and marine works, but the Scottish Executive is now responsible for all ports in Scotland. The Scottish Executive needs to develop policies on ports and harbours which suit Scotland's needs, and the Executive also continues to be responsible for financial help to Highlands and Islands passenger ferries.

“We believe it is vital that the Scottish Executive is able to reach a mutual understanding with the ports sector on how markets are developing and the demands they are likely to make on road, rail and other spending,” the BPA told the Scottish Executive in response to its consultation. “As, ideally, operators within a private sector, ports always run the risk of marginalisation when major decisions are taken on road and rail developments. Such a move would be in line with England and Wales, where forecasts have spark been made and are being shared with the industry.”

“We are not looking for changes to these principles, but at the same time there needs to be a clear voice for ports within the transport strategies.This is particularly important when major road and rail decisions will be taken by the new Agency, located in Glasgow, whereas ports policy will remain with the Executive in Edinburgh.

“It is a question of ensuring that decisions reflect the need for proper integration of the network.We see the development of a freight strategy and the recent consultation on a National Transport Strategy as important signals that the basic problems of moving goods around the country are being addressed,” noted the BPA.

The major issues for the ports sector in Scotland are to an extent the same as those in the rest of the UK,but as the BPA also highlights, there are also some issues peculiar to Scotland – such as the provision of lifeline links to the Isles, where infrastructure within ports is crucial to the running of services.Fishing is also a major part of the life of ports in Scotland, and while fishing policy is not solely dealt with by the Scottish Executive, fishing ports have important ‘transport’ issues that lie with the Executive.

As the BPA also notes, a major issue will be better understanding of the ports market and its different drivers. “There could be better links between other parts of the Scottish economy and ports in terms of policy development. For example, at one of the freight transport strategy seminars earlier this year, a number of references were made to the inward investment policies operating in Ireland which have stimulated manufacturing trade and therefore port business; in contrast, Scotland has lost a lot of manufacturing industries and especially a substantial part of its hightech industry,”the BPA told the Executive.

On the issue of Trust Ports,the BPA told the Executive:

“We are extremely concerned about the issue of trust port reclassification which currently affects Aberdeen Harbour Board but could affect others in the future if changes are not made.We look to the review to confirm the effectiveness of the trust port model and to trigger off progress with the outstanding Harbour Revision Order for Aberdeen which was first promoted in the autumn of 2004.We support the three current forms of port ownership and management in the UK and believe that this mixture has added to the strength of the sector and should not be compromised.”

On the issue of connectivity, the BPA told the Executive:“Although port infrastructure and operations are privately financed, ports rely on public infrastructure funding for their network links.

This requires a close understanding between the ports sector and government on needs and priorities. We recorded our concern in our response to the National Transport Strategy about some of the more interventionist tendencies where transport policy is concerned, for example trying to limit growth when transport growth is a reflection of a growing economy.

Equally, we would be concerned if disproportionately large sums of money were dedicated to modal shift. “In a nutshell,our views on land side connections are firstly that they have to be based on forecasts of market change and development and secondly, they have to be properly funded.”

The BPA also stressed the paramount importance of good landside connections for ports, in order to facilitate the movement of freight into and out of Scotland,and the need for Government to ensure it has a good understanding of ports’ needs when planning its freight and transport strategies. “Ports not only depend on infrastructure links but also on the efficiency and viability of the road and rail sectors.One of the issues in the National Transport Strategy is the possibility of introducing road charging.

We believe that there are distinct possibilities here for a charge on HGVs which will produce a new source of revenue but also levy foreign trucks and that can be used to fund improved road and rail connections,” said the BPA, noting that it believes that there are real opportunities for a simply operated levy to act as a new source of funding.

“Your responses have made it clear that the ports sector wants stability and is content with the existing framework, based on a market driven approach to investment and funding,”said Mr Tavish in an outcomes letter to consultees published at the end of 2006. 

“The diverse nature of the ports sector in Scotland, with no single model of ownership, is seen in itself as a strength, with a mix of local authority-owned, independent trust and privately-owned ports. I propose no changes to that structure, which has contributed to what is today a thriving, robust and dynamic ports sector, playing a key role in the local and national economy. Specifically I do not support the privatisation of trust ports.”

“Many respondents highlighted one particular issue,” said Mr Tavish, this being landside infrastructure links to and from ports. “Most of you see effective inland transport connections as being absolutely critical not only to ports’continuing competitiveness,but also to the future successful growth of the industry,” he told consultees.“I agree.The important role of ports and the need to ensure that they are properly linked to Scotland’s transport network is fully reflected in both the National Transport Strategy (NTS) and the Freight Action Plan (FAP),which were published on December 5, 2006.

“The NTS emphasises that an effective road and rail infrastructure to support national and international connections by sea is critical to ensuring that ports can maximise their contribution to Scotland’s economic prosperity,” Mr Tavish said. “I will ensure that Transport Scotland continues to prioritise and support road and rail links to ports in its medium term investment programme.

Looking beyond that, the Strategic Transport Projects Review will consider the economic role of the ports sector when identifying key strategic transport infrastructure requirements for 2012 to 2022.”