A MILESTONE for plans to build a network of subsea tunnels linking islands in Shetland has been reached as pre-seismic studies on the potential routes have been completed.
Funded by local action groups, and separate from ongoing exploration of tunnels being undertaken by Shetland Islands Council, the initial pregeological and geotechnical studies have been finished.
The Unst and Yell tunnel action groups said they are now set to procure the full seismic work that will help underpin the technical and financial proposals for tunnel development between the islands.
Norconsult, a leading Norwegian firm in geosciences and environmental engineering and who designed the Faroe Islands’s subsea tunnels, carried out the pre-seismic work in conjunction with Geophysix.
Joint chairman of the Unst Tunnel Action Group Alec Priest said the launch of the Time to Tunnel campaign on Saturday between the two groups will help increase public awareness and build on funds already raised for the proposal.
He told Shetland News: “The completion of the pre-seismic studies is significant – it demonstrates our communities’ determination to make tunnels a reality and highlights the power of working together to achieve real progress.
“With the launch of Time to Tunnel, we want to maintain momentum, raise awareness more widely, and build the resources needed for the seismic studies.”
The local action groups had reached an agreement with the Shetland Islands Council to access the groups’ findings in a bid to make the proposal a reality.
A major report on Shetland’s future inter-island transport needs was presented to councillors for the first time earlier this summer, with members of the local authority agreeing that the idea of tunnels to Yell, Unst, Bressay and Whalsay should be taken forward for further consideration.
The options presented in the report did not come with any cost estimates, with the council stressing that funding is uncertain. Private finance is understood to be considered a possible avenue.
In June, councillors agreeded to fund a study to establish the commercial and financial viability of tunnels and the future steps required to move the project forward.
Steven Henderson, joint chairman of the Yell Tunnel Action Group, said tunnels between the islands would create opportunities for future generations.
He said: “Fixed links are not just about transport – they are about the long-term sustainability of our communities.
“They will secure jobs, improve healthcare access, reduce costs for businesses, and create opportunities for future generations. Time to Tunnel is about making that vision a reality.”
