Transport / Tunnel action groups determined to carry on fundraising after shift in council position on Norconsult report
THE RESULTS of a pre-seismic study into possible fixed links for Yell and Unst are now likely to be considered by any contractor appointed to take the projects forward.
There were initial fears that work carried out by and on behalf of the North Isles community could be in vain.
It was reported this week that an “important step” in the process had been completed, with engineering consultancy Norconsult publishing its pre-seismic survey.
As a result it recommended tunnels to Yell and Unst have a gentler slope of five per cent, which would change the length of the tunnels.
However SIC chief executive Maggie Sandison told the tunnel groups last month the Norconsult report could not and would not be used to inform the council’s own inter-island transport connectivity programme (IITC), carried out by consultants from Stantec.
In a letter to all Unst Tunnel Action Group joint chair Alice Mathewson, sent to all councillors and seen by Shetland News, she wrote: “We can confirm that no part of the tunnel action groups/Norconsult outputs can be integrated into or used to determine the council’s programme deliverables, including tunnel alignment.”
And: “We have highlighted this to yourselves now on several occasions and do so once more so there can be no ambiguity regarding the council’s position.”
She added the council had never been party to the commissioning between the tunnel action groups (TAGs) and Norconsult, and there was therefore no direct or indirect entitlement arising from the contract.
“There is, therefore, no sound, risk free, justifiable basis on which the council could adopt the Norconsult work into its programme,” she concluded.
The chief executive’s position is based on the principles set out in the so-called Green Book, which is issued by the Treasury and provides guidance on how to appraise policies, programmes and projects.
However, that position appears to have changed over recent weeks following some hectic exchanges between both sides.
Both the chairman of the council’s development committee Dennis Leask, and North Isles councillor Robert Thomson, confirmed to Shetland News that things have “evolved” since then.
The chief executive has one position and elected members have another, Thomson said.
“There has been a subsequent letter (…) which gave enough comfort to the TAGs to now move forward with the next level of fundraising,” he continued.
“There is enough within the last letter to show that it [using the Norconsult report] is not being ruled out.”
Thomson added that this was not a guarantee, but an opportunity that the information gathered with the help of community donations could be used by a third party.
Leask said: “My understanding of third-party information in this instance, is that it is not a matter of whether or not the council takes on board such information but it is for those the council contract to carry out work on their behalf to decide whether or not the third-party information is of use to them in the work they are doing.
“So, for me any work that helps maintain momentum and demonstrate community support and commitment on this critical project for Shetland is welcomed.”
Thomson added: “Anybody who comes here to look at building tunnels would obviously jump at this information which has been done by a very reputable company,” he said.
Mathewson said she was “fully confident” that the communities in the North isles were doing the right thing in continuing their fundraising for the next steps in the process.
She said the community groups had already managed to raise the majority of funds needed to commission seismic surveys for both Yell and Bluemull sounds and pay for consent support work.
The tunnel action groups are still looking to raise up to £100,000 through a combination of fundraising, donations and grants between now and into next year, with the aim to award contracts early in 2026.
The tunnel action groups’ crowdfunder page can be found here.
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