Shetland has its first statutory transport blueprint for shaping the future of transport services to and from and within Shetland, after the Scottish Government approved the Regional Transport Strategy of the ZetTrans partnership.

The ZetTrans' Board was informed when it met today that the Scottish Government's Minister for Transport, Infrastructure and Climate Change, Stewart Stevenson, had advised of his approval of the Regional Transport Strategy for Shetland in a letter to the Chairman, Councillor Allan Wishart, on 28 July 2008. Stevenson confirmed that the ZetTrans strategy supports the Scottish Government’s key purpose and national objectives.

ZetTrans, along with the six other Scottish Regional Transport Partnerships, submitted its draft strategy to Scottish Ministers in March 2007 after an extensive programme of consultation.

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However, following the Scottish Parliamentary elections, the new Government then reviewed the role of Regional Transport Partnerships, along with many other public sector bodies, and concluded that they had a role to play in the delivery of the Government's vision for Scotland, and that the Strategies should be revised to clearly reflect Government's direction for Scotland, and the connection with the Council’s Single Outcome Agreement. The Shetland Transport Strategy was revised and resubmitted to Scottish Ministers in May 2008.

ZetTrans has already carried out work in implementing the Strategy in anticipation of its approval, such as studies into the future of the island links and introducing a travel plan.

ZetTrans Chairman, Allan Wishart, said: "I am delighted that Shetland now has an approved Transport Strategy. This was produced from a great deal of information gathered from users about their requirements for transport systems now and in the future and the role they see it playing in supporting Shetland's economy, communities and environment. I am grateful for all the comments and ideas received from so many people and also for the huge amount of work put into the preparation of the Strategy by ZetTrans and Shetland Islands Council staff as well as the support from consultants Faber Maunsell.

"I look forward to seeing, in due course benefits to Shetland becoming very evident as we work to have the Strategy fully implemented."

(GK/JM)