Inspired by developments in Faroe, the regional government of Shetland has backed a plan to interconnect their islands by road tunnels including underwater tunnels. Funding, however, for the Inter-island Transport Connectivity Programme has reportedly not been secured as yet, with final backing from both the Scottish government in Holyrood, Edinburgh, and the UK government in Westminster, London, remaining outstanding.
According to the BBC, a feasibility study has proposed replacing aging ferries with tunnels from Shetland’s mainland to the island Yell and from there to the island Unst, describing the tunnels as “economically transformative”.
As per the news report, two more tunnels, to the islands Whalsay and Bressay, could follow under the proposed plan—at a total estimate cost of around 1.5 billion GBP (1.75bn EUR).
“Council leaders say the tunnels would be cheaper than building new ferries and replacing harbours,” the report added.
In Lerwick, Shetland Islands Council chief executive Maggie Sandison acknowledged the project was not going to be easy but that pursuing a funding solution was the “right thing to do.”
“This could come from a mixture of private investment, public subsidy and borrowing, alongside tolls to cover maintenance costs,” the BBC articled read.
The Council announced on June 30th that “Shetland Islands councillors have today decided to approve the recommendations for options to be taken forward to the next stage of the Inter-island Transport Connectivity Programme, including subsea tunnels between some of Shetland’s islands.”
The Council operates ferry services to nine islands, using a fleet of 12 vessels at a combined annual cost of 23 million GBP (26.9mn EUR). Moraig Lyall, transport chair of the Council, was quoted as saying the report showed that tunnels will be “cheaper in the long run” compared to ferries, adding that there are no technical barriers to building tunnels.
Earlier this year, the Western Isles council—Comhairle nan Eilean Siar—said it would consider building tunnels or bridges across the Sounds of Harris and Barra, the BBC added. Apparently, public debates have been fueled by discontent with the reliability of the existing ferry network that serves the Hebrides and the Clyde.
There is little doubt that the Faroese have given their fellow islanders to the south a good dose of food for thought.
“In drawing up its plans for tunnels, Shetland has taken inspiration from the neighbouring Atlantic archipelago 200 miles to the north west,” the BBC article noted in a clear reference to the Faroes. “The Faroe Islands have been building tunnels since the 1960s and now have more than 20, including four which run under the sea, linking island communities. The network includes a 7.1 mile (11.4km) tunnel which connects the island of Streymoy to two sides of a fjord on the island of Eysturoy via the world’s only subsea roundabout.”