Key facts
- Shetland Islands Council has backed a strategy including plans for subsea tunnels.
- The first phase involves tunnels connecting Mainland to Yell and Unst, costing an estimated £655 million.
- The council is seeking Scottish and UK government funding for the projects.
- The tunnels aim to replace unreliable and aging ferry services, which contribute to depopulation.
- Further tunnels to Bressay and Whalsay are also being considered.
Shetland Islands Council has voted to investigate financing options for subsea tunnels to connect its Mainland with the islands of Yell and Unst. The decision follows years of campaigning by islanders who have faced isolation due to unreliable and aging ferry services, which they argue contribute to depopulation and business decline. The two proposed tunnels are estimated to cost £655 million and are expected to take at least eight years to complete. Council leader Emma Macdonald emphasized the necessity of fixed links for economic growth and repopulation, drawing parallels with successful tunnel projects in the Faroe Islands. She plans to seek financial assistance from the Scottish and UK governments, arguing that Shetland's economic contributions, including its spaceport and significant seafood production, make it vital to the wider UK economy. The current ferry fleet, averaging over 32 years old, struggles with staffing, capacity, and operational disruptions due to weather, alongside rising maintenance costs. The council also agreed to explore potential tunnels to Bressay and Whalsay, and new ferries for smaller outlying islands. The move is anticipated to encourage similar demands for fixed links in Scotland's Western Isles.