ISSG helicopters 'will not fly into Tresco'
The Isles of Scilly Steamship Group's new Island Helicopters service will not be able to fly into Tresco.
Penzance Heliport Ltd said in a statement to supporters that the heliport on Tresco is not scheduled to become fully operational until next year.
The statement from Robert Dorrien-Smith reads: "Unfortunately, key stakeholders - including Tresco Heliport - were not consulted prior to last week’s announcement. Due to the delays to the Penzance Heliport project, caused by the Isles of Scilly Steamship Company’s legal challenges, Tresco Heliport is not scheduled to become fully operational until early 2019, to coincide with the scheduled Penzance service. The safe operation of a heliport is not something that can be conjured up in a matter of months.
"Thanks to our work with key partners, including the CAA, Tresco Heliport and St Mary’s Airport, we can confirm that flights from Penzance Heliport will operate into both Tresco and St Mary’s. We currently anticipate that flights from Penzance Heliport will be operational from spring 2019, dependent on Cornwall Council’s planning decision, expected in the coming weeks." He added: "I would like to take this opportunity to sincerely thank all of our supporters, and particularly the communities on the Isles of Scilly and Penzance, for their continued support for Penzance Heliport. It has been so heartening to see a shared conviction that Penzance is the obvious choice, for its weather resilience, accessibility and the introduction of genuine competition to the Isles of Scilly transport market."
The Isles of Scilly Steamship Group announced last week that it is to begin its own helicopter service from Land's End in May.