‘Time has surely come’ for tunnels – reaction to Westminster fixed links report
Politicians and SIC chief executive Maggie Sandison back findings of Scottish Affairs Committee
THE UK and Scottish Governments have a “vital role to play” in making tunnels a reality for Shetland.
Shetland Islands Council (SIC) chief executive Maggie Sandison said the local authority was looking forward to working with both governments to secure the investment needed to bring fixed links to the isles.
It comes on the back of a report by Westminster’s Scottish Affairs Committee, published today, which said that the £1.5 billion plan for tunnels around Shetland warrant “serious consideration” from both governments.
UK Government urged to back ‘transformative’ tunnels by parliamentary committee
Fixed links could have “transformative potential” for Shetland, the committee found.
It added that the question was not if the UK Government could support fixed links in Shetland, “but whether it is willing to do so”.
The findings from the report have been welcomed by Sandison, along with isles’ politicians Hannah Mary Goodlad and Alistair Carmichael.
The Scottish Government has already pledged £23 million to support pre-construction work for fixed links across the next three years.
Goodlad, who is MSP for Shetland and Scotland’s public finance minister, said the ball was now in the UK Government’s court to follow suit.
“As Shetland’s MSP, this matter is a simple one,” she told Shetland News.
“Islands need people, people need jobs, jobs rely on business and business needs infrastructure – and this means tunnels.
“The Scottish Government has supported this goal with £23 million of funding – a real indication of the strength of support for our isles.
“Now eyes turn firmly on the UK government to raise its game and back Shetland.”
The SIC took a major step towards tunnels last month, agreeing to prioritise a fixed link to Yell as part of its transport connectivity route map.
That alone would cost over £500 million, with a tunnel to Unst – the second priority route – taking the cost beyond £1 billion.
Help keep Shetland’s news open to everyone
Good local journalism takes time, care and people on the ground. Membership helps us keep reporting the stories that matter to Shetland — and keep them free for everyone to read. Members get a weekly newsletter created especially for them, local ads only, and can bookmark stories and join the conversation in the comments.
Already a member? Sign in.
SIC chief Sandison said they were glad that the committee had recognised the “transformative potential” that fixed links would have for Shetland.
“People in Shetland have long understood the opportunities that tunnels could unlock for our communities, public services and economy,” she said.
“We are pleased that the committee has recognised their potential to reverse depopulation, improve quality of life and strengthen our economic prospects.
“As the report acknowledges, Shetland is leading the way in making Scotland a tunnelling nation.
“We now have an inter-island transport implementation route map in place which, subject to funding, will deliver two subsea road tunnels and eight new inter-island ferries over the next decade.
“This is critical not just for Shetland, but for Scotland and the UK – reliable inter-island transport is key to unlocking growth in Shetland’s major industries including seafood, energy, tourism and space, from which the whole UK stands to benefit.”
Sandison said that both the UK and Scottish governments “have a vital role to play in making that happen”.
“We welcome the committee’s clear recognition that our proposals warrant serious consideration from both governments, and look forward to working together to secure the investment needed to deliver Scotland’s first inter-island road tunnel,” she added.
Liberal Democrat MP Alistair Carmichael has long been a supporter of fixed links for Shetland, leading a series of ‘Tunnel Vision’ talks with then-MSP Beatrice Wishart and her successor, Goodlad, in recent years.
He said the Scottish Affairs Committee’s report shows that the “time has surely come” for tunnels.
“The committee makes clear that the UK Government absolutely can and indeed should play its part in making inter-island tunnels a reality, whether that is in direct financial backing, underwriting investment made at the council level, or other forms of logistical and political support,” Carmichael said.
“It is now for the government to show their hand and engage on how they can support this vital work.
“Tunnels could be transformative for Shetland, which is why I have worked for many years to develop and support the grassroots campaign in the isles.
“The political energy and consensus is with us – now we just need the backing from our governments.
“The strategic and long-term national benefits of tunnels for Shetland mean that neither of our governments can afford to wash their hands of this issue. The sooner we get agreement on that principle the sooner we can get spades in the ground – and unlock our potential.”
The UK Government was non-committal this week, however, telling Shetland News that transport was a devolved responsibility for the SNP government in Holyrood.
A spokesperson for the UK Government said it “supports the growth of our island communities”, and that it would respond to the report “in due course”.
The Scottish Government meanwhile said it recognised from the report that the UK Government “has a key role to play” in the delivery of fixed links for Scotland’s islands.
“We fully recognise the potential benefits fixed links could bring,” a spokesperson for the Scottish Government said.
“We are committed to continuing our close engagement with island councils. Through our new National Islands Plan, we have committed to working with local authorities to explore financing models and promote investment opportunities in fixed links projects within their areas.
“The 2026-27 budget delivered in full, the asks of the relevant island councils by allocating a further £11.4 million of resource and £15.5 million capital for inter-island connectivity.
“We look forward to discussing this further.”
Keep Shetland’s news open to everyone
Your membership helps us report the stories that matter to Shetland — and keep them free for everyone to read.
Already a member? Sign in.
