The Whalsay Tunnel Project

[Warbury]

I agree, if your going to spend approx. £80,000,000 then Unst, Yell and the Mainland should be the islands choosen.

 

Its a bit worrying at the moment with the Uk and europe being so financially poor that in time they may start to take away some of the subsidy that the SIC get for running the ferries (63.7%).

 

Its a shame that most of the islands around Shetland did not get fixed links 20 to 30 years ago.

[Carlos]

I've not seen any costings mentioned recently for a Mainland-Yell tunnel, but the distance to cross would seem to make it the same sort of tunnel length as the design looked at for Whalsay, so presumably also the same sort of tunnel cost, if maybe a bit cheaper for the new roads needed.

 

The long term ferry costs on the Yell run might make that tunnel stack up as cheaper, or at least closer to equal than it did for Whalsay, but would still seem to leave us with the "where to find the cash" problem that has been reported by the head of finance?

[eastsider]

That's the main problem where is the cash . Some of our councillors would need to learn how to read the reports they request from there own officials. And try and make the decisions based upon there findings.

 

It has been said in the two reports from council officials that if they are to invest in a tunnel to Whalsay all other projects on the capital programme will have to go on hold for atleast five years.

 

Will the rest of Shetland be happy for all Shetlands money from the start of a tunnel project to be tied up in the Whalsay tunnel .

 

Try and let common sense prevail.

[lerwick]

Did you hear radio shetland tonight? After being found guilty of wrongly reporting councillor wills to the standards commision, i thought josie made a poor job of apology. Looks as if you might get a tunnel if he digs himself in any deeper.

[tarhellja]

I think if they were going to do a poll now, it'd show that most o' Whalsay wants a tunnel noo, even some of the ferrymen. Its wonderful what you learn ina few hours in A&E at GBH.

[tarhellja]

I think if they were going to do a poll now, it'd show that most o' Whalsay wants a tunnel noo, even some of the ferrymen. Its wonderful what you learn ina few hours in A&E at GBH.

[gavva]

well it a good job josie worked so hard and made lots of cash as it wont hurt him to pay for unfairly taking councillor wills to the standards commission . As for a tunnel to whalsay its the most hair brained scheme possible. With the state of the economy these people are out of touch with the real world. I would never vote for fishermen bashing but these councillors should be more responsible with our cash . Look after it as they do with their own.

)

 

I agree to spend this amount of money in the financial climate that we are in at present or even to contemplate spending is total madness

[eastsider]

I think if they were going to do a poll now, it'd show that most o' Whalsay wants a tunnel noo, even some of the ferrymen. Its wonderful what you learn ina few hours in A&E at GBH.

 

Yes if it went to a poll there might easy be a bit more of a swing in favour of a tunnel option but i doubt most of whalsay is a bit of the mark. But is the rest of Shetland willing to forfeit all the other projects on the capital programe for possibly the next 5 years to take a gamble on a tunnel to whalsay. I for sure don't want to see that happening.

[whalsa]

From what I've heard 'most' of Whalsay are certainly not in favour of a tunnel. There are obviously some that think it is a good idea but even most of them understand that it is bad timing, too expensive and too late to implement such a vast undertaking.

[Ghostrider]

From a bystander's perspective, as I have not much knowledge or experience of the off isles of Shetland, this comes off as the usual council "Rolls Royce" mentality at work.

 

Surely common sense dictates that the first tunnel created is something of a guinea pig, after all this is neither Norway or Faeroe or anywhere else which already has and favours?!? tunnels. This is Shetland and Shetlanders will be using it/them, and while we can draw from the experiences of elsewhere, practicalities, logistics and opinion can not be, and will not be the same here as elsewhere.

 

When replacing the Earl with ro-ro boats was being mooted, at least a boat of the type could be gotten and used as a demostrator on site helping folk, both those providing the service, and those using it, to make up their minds for or against. Obviously the same cannot be done with a hole in the ground.

 

Surely as tunnels are virgin territory both in this locality and terrain, and to the vast majority of the travelling public, common sense would say either make the first one on the shortest and cheapest route (Nort Mooth to Bressa) , so that if the whole scheme is a fail losses and collateral damage is minimised. Or, put it where the largest number of folk/largest land mass benefit (Yell Sound) so that at least if it goes over budget (as it very likely will) the cost is spread as thinly as possible.

 

Choosing the Whalsay route as a "test bed" comes off to me a bit like someone planning to build and operate the North Boat who's never been afloat in as much as a yoal before.

 

Once you start digging a tunnel you're committed to finishing it, regardless of whatever problems and additional costs arise as you go, or to filling it back in and writing off everything spent up to that point. You either minimse the final bill by doing the smallest project first, the North Mooth, or at least write it off at the lowest per head expenditure by doing the busiest route, Yell Sound, first. Once completed you're committed to using the thing, regardless of what ongoing problems arise or how much the travelling public loathe it, again its an easier pill to swallow if the initial cost was the smallest project, or the lowest per head expenditure.

 

I don't begrudge Whalsay whatever transport link they need to the mainland, I'm just saying that to start off with something new and untried on probably the longest and most difficult route it can go on is IMHO rash and foolhardy. It comes off as the council wanting to create the jewel in their crown first, instead of beginning off modestly, discovering the pitfalls along the way with committments and costs minimised, then going for the bigger and more difficult ones once they have experience in building and running such things. Its running before you can walk in my mind.

[9walker]

Well said Ghostrider.

 

These are the wisest words I have seen written on this subject since it reared its ugly head in February 2010, when the last council 'decisive meeting' on the subject of Whalsay's transport link took place.

 

Since then I have deliberately taken no part in any of the raging debates about this. Serious & possibly irrepairable damage has already been done in the Whalsay community because of this, which I find rather saddening when everything that has recently been discussed on this matter, has already been discussed & dismissed 5 years ago by the Whalsay transport STAG appraisal, for all the same reasons the newly elected council are now re-discovering in their recent investigation.

 

I still firmly stand by all I have previously said on this subject: Although no one can argue that a fixed link will be a much better transport device than the best ferry service in the world, if no tunnel funding is found, no Whalsay tunnel shall be built in the near future, regardless of how many people are in favour of the idea.

 

So it is quite pointless discussing the merits or pitfalls of a tunnel to Whalsay until a quite substantial pot of money magically appears. This seems unlikely given the country's current financial situation, and the fact that Shetland is probably one of the best off councils in the country to be asking around for money 'with cup in hand' given its oil wealth.

 

I'm a patient man, the next 'decisive meeting' is only weeks away now. I'll not be holding my breath for a final decision yet though.

[trout]

[...] sense would say either make the first one on the shortest and cheapest route [...]

 

"Leebitten tae Moosa" surely, no? Screw da auld Solan 'Fower' and ram dat beeyatch trow da Saandlodge copper vein and hol her up next tae "da castle"! Auld Bunkie kin be da 'tunnel master' an charge tourists for da privaledge an at da sam time da SIC can export copper ore tae whaever waants it!

[Spinner72]

^^

 

And yep, great post Ghostrider, 100% spot on.

 

Since then I have deliberately taken no part in any of the raging debates about this. Serious & possibly irrepairable damage has already been done in the Whalsay community because of this, which I find rather saddening when everything that has recently been discussed on this matter, has already been discussed & dismissed 5 years ago by the Whalsay transport STAG appraisal, for all the same reasons the newly elected council are now re-discovering in their recent investigation.

 

This leads to my biggest gripe with not just this project, but the whole fixed link proposal (and the respective councils attitudes to them) in general - STOP INVESTIGATING!

 

As I believe I've mentioned before - the Islands haven't moved - the geology hasn't changed - so just use the investigation(s) the last lot did and get a quick updated quote if you want to debate/consider it again in future. Stop wasting our money on endless consultations and save it for building the bloody things!

 

/rant

[Guest Anonymous]

Choosing the Whalsay route as a "test bed" comes off to me a bit like someone planning to build and operate the North Boat who's never been afloat in as much as a yoal before.

 

Well said Ghostrider.

[islandhopper]

... an charge tourists for da privaledge ...

no, nae, never ... we tourists prefer da boats ...