Shetland councillors back undersea tunnel plan
Shetland councillors have backed plans for undersea tunnels to replace ferries, despite a £1.5bn cost and some local opposition.
How it was covered
- Channel 5 was the only channel found covering it.
- BBC News, BBC One, BBC Two, Channel 4, GB News, ITV and Sky News: not found in tracked broadcasts.
The Full Story
A plain summary built from the channels that reported this story. Facts only one channel reported are attributed to it.
Councillors in Shetland have endorsed initial proposals to build undersea tunnels connecting the islands, replacing the current ferry network. The plan, which carries an estimated price tag of £1.5 billion, is seen by supporters as a faster and more reliable alternative to ageing ferries, but it has drawn criticism from those who argue the money should be spent on hospitals and schools.
The islands lie 110 miles off the Scottish mainland, and ferry journeys between them can take half a day. For businesses like Stephen's, a local business owner, the ferries are a daily frustration. He told reporters that delays and problems occur most weeks, costing his firm time and money. The proposed tunnels would remove that uncertainty, connecting communities directly under the sea.
Supporters point to the Faroe Islands, northwest of Shetland, which have been building subsea tunnels since the 1960s and now have four in operation. They argue that investing in tunnels is not an optional extra but a necessary choice, as replacing the current fleet and harbour infrastructure would also run into hundreds of millions of pounds. As one proponent put it, the question is not whether to invest, but how.
However, not everyone is convinced. Councillor Ian, who opposes the scheme, said the money would be better spent on core public services. He described one proposed tunnel costing £400 million as unjustifiable for the benefit of a small number of residents. "For the sake of two hundred people in a wet afternoon in Shetland we're going to build a tunnel that's going to cost us four hundred million pounds," he said.
Councillors are now exploring funding options and are expected to decide in the coming weeks which islands would be connected first. Even if the plan proceeds, the first tunnel could be eight years away. The road ahead, like the tunnels themselves, remains long and uncertain.
Key Claims
Claims reported during this story's coverage, grouped by how many channels reported each one. Select a dot to see the source excerpt.
| Claim |  |
|---|---|
| Only on one channel | |
| One of the first tunnels is estimated to cost about £400 million. | Reported by Channel 5 |
| The Faroe Islands have built four undersea tunnels since the 1960s. | Reported by Channel 5 |
| The undersea tunnel plan is expected to cost £1.5 billion. | Reported by Channel 5 |
Channel Perspectives
What each channel focused on, with key quotes.
This report balances the economic case for the tunnels with the practical frustrations of current ferry users and the opposition from a local councillor. It highlights the cost, the Faroe Islands precedent, and the political debate, giving a fairly even-handed account with a slight focus on the business impact.
- “We use the ferries every day we usually encounter some sort of delay or problem most weeks”
- “Well, the thing is there is no low-cost solution to our connectivity issues”
- “For the sake of two hundred people in a wet afternoon in Shetland We're going to build a tunnel that's going to cost us four hundred million pounds”
Broadcast Timeline
News broadcasts tracked for this story, in time order.