Tunnel vision! Undersea tunnels linking Scottish islands could be built within eight years

Published: 20:43, 30 June 2026 | Updated: 20:43, 30 June 2026 Undersea tunnels linking Scots islands could be in place within eight years. Councillors gave their backing for a draft blueprint to replace ageing ferries with the tunnel network from mainland Shetland to Yell and from there to Unst. The ‘economically transformative’ infrastructure project would also include two more tunnels to Whalsay and Bressay under the £1.5billion plans. Shetland Council approved plans to look at funding options for the project after deciding that building the subsea passes would be cheaper than new ferries and harbour replacements. A feasibility study showed there were no technical barriers to building the tunnels, which would be cheaper in the long run than ferries, which currently cost £23million a year. Tunnels have successfully connected islands in the Faroes. The Faroe Islands are connected by a series of underground tunnels The Faroes even have an underground roundabout Shetland’s ferry service has been described as ‘the social and economic backbone’ of the archipelago, with a fleet of 12 vessels sailing about 70,000 times a year to nine islands, carrying approximately 750,000 passengers. But the ageing fleet and harbours will eventually need replaced and upgraded with the tunnel option more cost-effective, although ferries are not totally phased out of the transport mix. Under a timeline published by the council, the underwater routes would open in 2034. Council leader Emma Macdonald said: ‘We have made our position clear, and with the support of the Scottish and UK governments we could be driving through tunnels in Shetland in as little as eight years. 'Islands with fixed links repopulate, enjoy economic growth and experience a reduction in their average age. ‘The most critical consideration now is to continue to look at potential external funding and our team will report back on that in September, alongside the draft implementation route map.’ Ferries have been the traditional method of travelling around the islands The council also voted to invest in ferry services to other islands. Ms Macdonald continued: ‘We have no “do nothing” options here. Ferries and tunnels are both needed to unlock the potential of Shetland, and both the Scottish and UK governments have a vested interest in helping that happen.’ The feasibility report suggested economic benefits to the region, especially for the SaxaVord spaceport on Unst and the aquaculture industry around the archipelago. A mixture of private investment, public subsidy and road tolls could be used to fund the project. No comments have so far been submitted. Why not be the first to send us your thoughts, or debate this issue live on our message boards. By posting your comment you agree to our house rules. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual We will automatically post your comment and a link to the news story to your Facebook timeline at the same time it is posted on MailOnline. To do this we will link your MailOnline account with your Facebook account. We’ll ask you to confirm this for your first post to Facebook. You can choose on each post whether you would like it to be posted to Facebook. Your details from Facebook will be used to provide you with tailored content, marketing and ads in line with our Privacy Policy.