Inter-island transport report – what does it say?
SHETLAND Islands Council’s long-awaited inter-island transport connectivity report outlining future options for eight ferry routes has been published – but what are some of the key messages?
Councillors will next week be tasked with deciding what options to pursue for future transport connectivity for Yell, Unst, Whalsay, Bressay, Fetlar, Skerries, Papa Stour and Foula.
A key takeaway message is the recommendation for tunnels to Yell and Unst to be taken forward to the next stage of the process – an “implementation route map”, due to be presented in September, which would set out a time programme of investment over 30 years.
For Whalsay and Bressay, the recommendation is for continued investment in their ferry services with a “longer term commitment to a fixed link”.
There is a recommendation for a dedicated ferry for Fetlar operating over an extended day, and although a tunnel is proposed between Yell and Unst, investment in the Bluemull Sound ferry service will be required in the immediate term.
‘Do something’ options for the ferry services to Papa Stour and Skerries are recommended, with business as usual proposed for Foula.
The 345-page report marks a milestone moment in the SIC’s Shetland inter-island transport connectivity programme, which began in 2024 as consultants Stantec set to work alongside partners Mott MacDonald and COWI.
The aim is to provide business cases for the SIC’s inter-island transport network, which would then allow decisions to be taken on future connectivity options between Shetland’s islands.
The recommendations presented in the report for next Wednesday’s full council meeting come from the project board.
Elected members will be told that maintaining the existing ferry network, which is ageing, requires “significant” ongoing capital and revenue investment over the long-term.
A 10-year ‘business as usual’ capital spend profile for maintaining the current level of service, replacing ferries and refurbishing/replacing infrastructure has been estimated at nearly £600 million.
The report reiterates that as external funding would be required, any preferred option is provisional and subject to availability of funding.
“As a result, the preferred fixed link options in particular are best understood as identifying the long-term direction of travel for each route, rather than immediate delivery commitments,” the report added.
Tunnels were previously picked for consideration for Yell, Unst, Whalsay and Bressay, and this was already brought back under the spotlight in advance of the report being published.
A media briefing was held in Lerwick with the SIC and consultants in May to discuss the estimated cost of tunnels for the four island communities.
Constructing tunnel to Yell could require budget of £400m, estimates suggest
The most advanced tunnel project is Yell, given that it was picked as part of a modelling scheme which including engagement with contractors and financiers, and a detailed design worked up by COWI.
The report said a fixed link to Yell would also benefit Unst and Fetlar, which require travel through the island first.
It said a Yell fixed link could generate £30 million to £60 million in additional output per annum by lifting “production constraints”, which much of this figure attributable to the fisheries and aquaculture sector.
Benefits of tunnels have already been spelled out on many occasions – economic growth, freedom of movement, no reliance on ferries, for example – and the question often comes down to cost.
Including contingency and pre-construction activity, the total cost of a Yell Sound tunnel has been quoted at £401 million.
The report says it is £257 million for Bressay, £346 million for Unst and £488 million for Whalsay – a total of nearly £1.5 billion for the four links.
The emergence of the nationally significant SaxaVord Spaceport in Unst has also been hailed as a reason why a tunnel to Britain’s most northerly island makes sense.
But why are ferries being recommend for Whalsay and Bressay in the meantime, with fixed links only a long-term aspiration?
Although the benefits of a fixed link for Whalsay are spelled out, the report says a replacement for ageing ferry Hendra is urgently required, and the Linga would likely need to be replaced ahead of any tunnel, even if commissioned immediately.
Consultants Stantec also said Whalsay has a “weaker’ economic result for a fixed link due to the tunnel’s longer length and higher estimated cost, while it has lower freight volumes.
There is also a reference how a fixed link would lead to the loss or redeployment of a number of ferry jobs, with the potential for localised economic impacts on Whalsay given the number of crew living on the island.
For Bressay, the report notes its close proximity to Lerwick – a seven-minute ferry journey – and the frequency of sailings.
The report from Stantec says “very high levels of connectivity straight into Lerwick could be provided with a more frequent ferry service and lower or zero ferry fares”.
For Papa Stour and Skerries, the recommendation is to improve the existing ferry services.
For Papa Stour, this could include expanding the timetable to provide seven-day sailings by introducing two return sailings on a Tuesday and Thursday.
The ‘do something’ option for Skerries includes an additional sailing on a Wednesday, transitioning the service to a seven-day operation.
In Foula the status quo is suggested due to the satisfaction among the community and ferry crew with the current arrangements.
Fair Isle’s needs have been addressed separately through the island’s ongoing ferry replacement project.
Elsewhere, Stantec’s report highlights that for safety reasons tunnels – which would be constructed by the ‘drill and blast’ method – would be restricted to motorised vehicles only, with pedestrians, cyclists and horse drawn vehicles not to be permitted.
The report said this restriction is based on tunnel length, two-way operation and the need to manage fire and life safety risks.
It suggests that in the advent of tunnels, bus services should be upscaled to a level similar to the frequency of the current ferry service. As no-one could cycle through tunnels, the report says bus services provided in lieu of a ferry would need to be capable of accommodating bicycles.
The report highlights that nearly £1.7 million has been approved to date to support development of the transport connectivity programme, including a £421,000 allocation for 2026/27.
Councillors will also be asked to approve a further allocation of £200,000 to be taken from Crown Estate revenue for further work, including on strategic environmental assessment and political engagement.
Part of this will come from a £132,000 underspend on the SIC’s Crown Estate-funded gradate placement programme, arising from graduates moving into permanent roles elsewhere in the council.
After a 30-year implementation plan is drawn up, the next step would be to move to individual project business cases for the highest priority options.
The report says options for possible fixed link funding could be capital grants, SIC borrowing and private finance.
However, it encourages all options to be kept open at this stage due to uncertainties over when a tunnel could be delivered and the amount of money which would be needed.
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