Transport / Plans lodged for waiting room at Foula ferry
However funding is not in place yet for the project
A NEW ferry waiting room complete with an accessible toilet and shower could be coming to Foula.
Plans have been lodged by Shetland Islands Council for the 25 square metre shelter, which would be located on waste ground next to the harbour.
The building could also have an access ramp.
At the moment the island of Foula does not have a ferry waiting room.
However, Shetland Islands Council’s ferry and airport operations manager Andrew Inkster reiterated that the project does not have a funding lined up yet.
“A waiting room in Foula Harbour has been an aspiration for the community for some time,” he said.
“While this project is currently unfunded, without a clear timescale, Shetland Islands Council is applying for the necessary consents to progress to construction, should funds become available in the future.”
Shetland West councillor Liz Peterson, whose ward includes Foula, said she was pleased to see the application being submitted.
She said waiting facilities would be “useful for anyone travelling to and from Foula, who will be able to access toilet and shower facilities”.
“Along with the current ongoing work to the airstrip, this will encourage visitors to come to Foula, and will benefit the community and residents of Foula for many years to come,” Peterson added.
The ferry to Foula is run by BK Marine and operates twice a week from Walls on Shetland’s West Mainland. It takes around two hours.
The New Advance ferry can carry 12 passengers, and does not take vehicles. There are also flights to the island from Tingwall Airport.
Foula has a permanent population of around 30.
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