Also in the news / Tunnels, Cullivoe road, flights and more…
NORTHERN Isles MP Alistair Carmichael has welcomed progress by Shetland Islands Council on future transport connectivity which has been heralded as a “significant step towards the construction of tunnels”.
Councillors also agreed to fund – at a cost of nearly £1 million – a study to establish the commercial and financial viability of fixed links and the future steps required to move the project forward.
“Tunnels have the potential to be transformative for Shetland’s economy and our communities,” Carmichael said.
“It has been a long road just to reach this point and there is still a long way to go but I am glad that progress is being made. I look forward to working with the council and indeed with the UK and Scottish governments to keep up the momentum.”
SIC leader Emma Macdonald also said “tunnelling from mainland Shetland to our outer islands could increase their population, lower their average age, and increase their economic prospects”.
ANOTHER piece of the jigsaw for a new Cullivoe road has been slotted in after the project received planning permission.
It comes after councillors approved a final business case earlier this month, with work set to get underway this summer.
Following a procurement exercise the estimated cost of the project has risen to £13.3 million, although around £2.4 million of this covers asphalt surfacing which will be carried out in-house by the SIC’s roads team.
CW Johnson Plant Ltd has been awarded the contract for the new 6.8 metre wide two-lane road, with work expected to take two years.
TINGWALL Airport is back hosting inter-island flights after its 805-metre long runway (pictured above) was resurfaced.
Flights to Foula and Fair Isle moved to Sumburgh Airport during the recent £1.3 million work, which had suffered delays due to the weather.
Moraig Lyall, chair of the council’s environment and transport committee, said: “Resurfacing the entire runway has been a major project and I’d like to thank passengers for their patience in recent weeks while this work has taken place. It’s great to see this job completed.
“It is a significant investment in the future of the airport that provides vital flight links for our island communities.”
AS THE countdown continues for the Orkney Island Games, Harper Macleod is celebrating its 10-year anniversary providing legal advice to the islands by sponsoring Team Shetland.
Chris Kerr, lead partner for Harper Macleod in Lerwick, said: “Supporting Team Shetland is always a source of pride for us at Harper Macleod.
“This is the fourth consecutive games we have sponsored.
“The Island Games are more than just a sporting event, they are a celebration of community and island spirit. We’re proud to support Team Shetland and wish everyone the very best of luck.”
NHS Shetland has sent out reminders for Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) vaccinations after some initial appointment letters included the wrong date in the American format.
The health board said this mistake led to people missing appointments.
People who will have their 75th birthday in the next year (born between 1 August 1950 and 31 July 1951) should have already been given a vaccination appointment or invited to make one.
Anyone who has missed their appointment, or have not yet made one and want to have the vaccine, is asked to contact the vaccination team on 01595 743319 or email shet.vaccination-team@nhs.scot.
AWARD-winning author Louise Penny has been announced as the second headliner for next year’s Shetland Noir crime writing event.
Her Chief Inspector Armand Gamache novels have been translated into 31 languages and have sold more than 18 million copies worldwide.
It comes after Lee Child was recently announced as the first headliner for the Shetland Arts event, which is taking place between 11 and 14 June 2026.
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