Campaigners on Skye have demanded urgent progress in the battle to re-open the island’s airport amid growing frustration at costly delays.
Business leaders and local politicians want to see a breakthrough “within months” in the long-running fight to restore passenger flights to the central belt.
Studies have shown that the re-opening of the Broadford Airstrip to regular services could be worth up to £47million to the local economy.
But concern is growing on the island at the slow rate of progress.
Leading members of the FlySkye campaign said their case had been boosted by recent figures showing a 15.4% increase in passenger numbers at the 11 airports run by Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd (Hial).
Shirley Spear, who owns the celebrated The Three Chimneys restaurant at Dunvegan and has been a key figure in FlySkye, said the island should be cashing in on this growth.
She said: “It adds to the argument about how important reopening a regular service to and from Skye would be, and the economic benefit to the island and further.
“As far as I know talks have been going on for four months. It would be good if someone could come to something conclusive, give us something to build on.
“We still haven’t heard anything positive from anyone. Why is the delay happening? What is the problem?”
The council-owned air strip at Ashaig was opened in 1972 as a gateway to the island, with Loganair operating a scheduled route to Glasgow until 1988, when the service was disbanded.
A study last year boosted the case for re-opening the airport, finding that about 23,800 passengers would use a service between Glasgow and Skye each year.
The costs over a 30-year period were estimated at between £19.4million and £23.1million, while the economic benefits were projected to be about double the expenditure, at between £39.7million and £46.8million.
A working group has been established to try to develop the plans, but is still to finalise its proposals.
Ian Blackford, MP for Ross, Skye and Lochaber and FlySkye member, said: “It has gone one for some time and I think it has got to be brought to a conclusion as quickly as possible. We should be talking about months and not any longer than that.”
A Highland Council spokeswoman said: “This is long term project and we are continuing to work with local partners to explore all options.
“Capital works are required and there is an ongoing revenue subsidy also required. We continue to try to put together a partnership to progress the project.”
A Transport Scotland spokesman said: “We recognise the aspirations of bodies and individuals in the Highlands and Islands to expand air services and we are happy to discuss these matters with them.
“However, any future development and investment of the airstrip at Broadford and whether to support scheduled services is a matter for Highland Council as the owner of the site.”
