Government bonds could be used to fund Shetland tunnels

SCOTTISH election candidate Hannah Mary Goodlad says talks are already being held with the Scottish Government about funding fixed links for Shetland.

The SNP candidate for May’s elections hosted first minister John Swinney in Shetland last year, where she made the case for the need for tunnels on a visit across to Yell.

She said he had agreed fully about the need for fixed links to replace aging ferries, but said that was “the easy part” – with funding the crucial issue.

However Goodlad said she and Scottish finance secretary Shona Robson had been in talks about how to make it a “reality”.

Government bonds have been floated as one way to fund tunnels to outer islands such as Yell, Unst and Whalsay, Goodlad added.

“These could provide the long-term funding that is needed to turn tunnel vision into tunnel reality,” she said.

First minister John Swinney and SNP candidate Hannah Mary Goodlad.

First minister John Swinney and SNP candidate Hannah Mary Goodlad.

She made a visit to the Faroe Islands late last year to view their tunnel infrastructure, and said she was “not quite prepared for how much I was blown away by the impact that tunnels have had on the Faroese economy and society.”

“This is the way ahead and the quicker Shetland gets on with this the better,” she said.

“Too many years have already been wasted talking about this. It is now time for action.”

Goodlad conceded that it was easier and cheaper to create tunnels in Faroe, with Shetland’s rock structure “more complex”, but said it was still possible to connect Shetland’s islands in the way the Faroese have done.

“If elected, I will make sure I use Shetlands seat at the table to get a funding package in place to turn this dream into a reality,” Goodlad added.

“I will make the delivery of a funding model for Shetland tunnels an absolute priority.”

Four candidates have officially put their names forward to replace the outgoing Beatrice Wishart as Shetland’s MSP.

They are in alphabetical order: John Erskine (Labour), Hannah Mary Goodlad (SNP), Emma Macdonald (Lib Dems) and Brian Nugent (Sovereignty).

Shetland South councillor Alex Armitage is expected to be announced as the Green candidate soon, while Reform UK is understood to have plans of announcing a candidate later this month.

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