'Significant' step taken towards tunnels between Shetland Isles
Four islands - Bressay, Unst, Whalsay and Yell - would be linked by the tunnels.
The plan will now be studied in detail through a new strategy report which will establish the case for investment in travel facilities between the islands such as harbours, ferries and fixed links including tunnels.
A meeting of Shetland Islands Council this week approved the Network Strategy - Strategic Outline Case (SOC) report, presented by Stantec in partnership with COWI, Mott Macdonald and ProVersa.
Unst would be one of the places connected by the tunnels (Image: NQ) Councillors also agreed to fund a study to establish the commercial and financial viability of fixed links and the future steps required to move the project forward.
The SOC has established the case for enhanced ferry services for Fetlar, Foula, Papa Stour and Skerries, together with the case for tunnels to the four islands.
Council Leader, Councillor Emma Macdonald: 'Tunnelling in Shetland is, ultimately, about future-proofing our island population.
'Transport connectivity is central to creating sustainable islands which provide good homes and good jobs for our people, and which can reverse decades of depopulation.
'The experience of our neighbours in the Faroe Islands is clear - tunnelling from mainland Shetland to our outer islands could increase their population, lower their average age, and increase their economic prospects.'
She added: 'It's also critical that we continue to invest in a resilient and reliable ferry service to support all our islands.
He said: 'We have seen a few false dawns on tunnels for Shetland – now is the time to deliver on their promise. I am glad that the Council is putting investment into this project to move it to the next stage.
'The Stantec report made it clear that the choice is between either investing further in the ferry service or in fixed links. That means that tunnels can no longer be dismissed as the 'high cost' option relative to ferries, which is good news as we go into the next stage of development.
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