Scottish Liberal Democrat MSP for Shetland and rural affairs
spokesperson will today lead the
Scottish Parliament’s first ever debate on fixed links with
proposals to transform how Scotland’s island and remote
communities are connected.
The party will use Tuesday’s debate to call on the government to
invest in fixed links, such as tunnels and bridges, to better
connect remote and island communities across Scotland.
Earlier this year, Ms Wishart visited the Faroe Islands to see
their tunnel infrastructure and to discuss with representatives
from the Faroese Government how the islands had benefitted. The
newest tunnel in the Faroe Islands, due to open this month, will
mean that almost 90% of the population and 18 islands are
connected.
Commenting ahead of the debate, Ms Wishart said:
“By supporting local economies, strengthening access to public
services like healthcare and enhancing cultural ties, fixed links
have real potential to reverse the devastating effects of
depopulation from our island communities. They also have the huge
advantage of cutting carbon emissions by reducing reliance on
inter-island ferries.
“It’s not just our islands that could benefit. In the Highlands,
Liberal Democrats have been campaigning tirelessly to replace the
Corran ferry with a fixed link. When that ferry service breaks
down, people are left with a 42-mile detour just to travel 500
metres.
“I’ve seen first-hand how the Faroe Islands are linking up 18
islands and almost 90% of their population, protecting them from
bad weather and breakdowns.
“I will use today’s debate to urge the government to deliver the
political will and investment required to bring transport
infrastructure into the 21st century and link communities long
into the future.”
ENDS
Notes to editors:
The motion for the debate, proposed by Scottish Liberal Democrat
MSP for Shetland , is as follows, with the
support listed here:
That the Parliament acknowledges what it sees as the
importance of connectivity in Scotland’s rural and island areas;
recognises Scotland’s net zero targets, which were voted for by
the Parliament; notes the reportedly high output of carbon
emissions from ferries serving Scotland’s islands; believes that
reliable transport infrastructure is essential for local
communities, providing social and cultural benefits, as well as
underpinning local economies and tourism; notes the
recommendation of the second Strategic Transport Projects Review
(STPR2) to investigate potential fixed link connections, such as
tunnels, along ferry routes on the Sound of Harris, the Sound of
Barra, and between Mull and the Scottish mainland; further notes
comments made by the then Cabinet Secretary for Net Zero, Energy
and Transport, on 20 January 2022, that fixed links on these
routes “could improve communities’ access to goods and services
and make those islands more attractive for people to live and
work in and visit”; understands that tunnels to connect
communities on the Shetland Islands were deemed out of scope of
STPR2 by Transport Scotland; acknowledges the creation of
Shetland’s grassroots tunnel action groups, made up of community
members advocating the potential advantages of tunnels to connect
the isles, and notes that some of these groups are crowdfunding
for technical surveys; understands that there is support among
stakeholders for opportunities to explore the benefits of short
subsea tunnels in Shetland, and notes the calls for a fixed link
to replace the ferry on the Corran Narrows.
The Strategic Transport Projects Review 2 can be found here
You can find Highland Liberal Democrat calls to replace the
Corran ferry here
