Islanders entitled to expect a ‘lasting legacy’
Like many islanders, I welcome Shetland Islands Council’s renewed focus on tunnels and long-term transport links.
Given the age of the inter-island ferry fleet and decades of underinvestment, many of us are asking why these discussions are only now gathering pace. Islanders have waited a long time for improvements to essential infrastructure.
The current transport feasibility study is a positive step, but islanders understandably hope it will lead to real infrastructure delivery rather than another report on the shelf.
The delivery of at least one or two tunnels, together with two much-needed replacement ferries, would demonstrate that long-term planning can finally translate into action.
The recent adoption of the Shetland Development Charter is also welcome. Many islanders, including ferry crews who have kept communities connected through years of uncertainty, will hope it marks a genuine change in approach.
Communities want meaningful involvement from the outset, not repeated “show and tell” consultations on proposals that already appear to be in motion.
If the Charter is to succeed, local people must have a real influence on decisions and see tangible benefits in return.
Islanders expect lasting benefits after decades of hosting nationally important energy infrastructure.
This matters because Shetland is not only home to exceptional natural heritage; it also supports one of the UK’s most strategically important seafood industries.
Fisheries and aquaculture account for around one-third of Shetland’s economic output.
Unlike much of the UK, which imports considerably more food than it exports, Shetland has consistently exported more than it imports, generating a substantial trade surplus. Shetland continues to make a significant net contribution to both the Scottish and UK economies.
However, an internationally important food-producing region cannot prosper without sustained investment in housing, transport and essential infrastructure. Without it, both Shetland’s seafood industry and population will struggle in the decades ahead.
Island communities have seen this story before. Electricity, mains water and modern roads arrived in many parts of Shetland decades after they became standard elsewhere in the UK. Many residents still remember those changes transforming island life.
Yet long-term investment has too often failed to keep pace with changing needs. Islanders are therefore entitled to expect that today’s energy developments deliver a lasting legacy rather than repeat the mistakes of the past.
Regina Irvine
Whalsay
