Council / Scottish secretary tells council to bring them fixed links proposals
THE LABOUR government’s Scottish secretary has urged Shetland Islands Council (SIC) to start delivering some ideas of how fixed links in the isles could work.
MP Ian Murray said that “nothing is off the table” when it comes to the possibility of tunnels replacing inter-island ferries.
But he said after meeting councillors late last week that “nothing is on the table” so far either.
“It’s up to the council to develop some of these ideas,” he added.
The council is currently working on its inter-island transport programme, which will consider tunnels as possible ferry replacements.
The MP for Edinburgh South visited Shetland last week, where he said he received a “full briefing” from councillors about their desire for fixed links.
It comes at a time when scrutiny of the aging inter-island ferry service is increasing, particularly after a week where the ferries serving Yell, Unst and Whalsay all experienced issues.
Murray spoke of the “delicate and precarious nature” of the ferry service – and said his team had “experienced it ourselves” when he went to Unst to visit the SaxaVord Spaceport on Thursday.
However, he also acknowledged that “money is tight” for the new UK Government.
He said Labour had inherited the “worst set of circumstances since World War Two” in terms of finances.
That has lead to fears that the plug could be pulled on an agreement from the previous Conservative government to fund the Fair Isle ferry replacement programme to the tune of £27 million, from the Levelling Up fund.
With the Levelling Up scheme now scrapped under prime minister Sir Keir Starmer’s administration, and with Labour warning of impending cuts, the SIC has been highlighting the importance of the project again.
Asked if he could give assurances that money would be provided by his government, Murray said that “nothing has been cancelled”.
“We’re aware of the Fair Isle project, which is one of a number of projects that have been paused, but we’re making the case for it,” he added.
Reflecting on his visit to the isles, which saw him also visit the Viking Energy wind farm, the MP for Edinburgh South said there were a number of important projects for the future of the government happening in Shetland.
“It’s really exciting, but that brings its own challenges,” he said.
“We want people to come to stay here, and the spaceport is a good example of that.”
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