Fixed links

[listerine]

Blyed to see a bit oh common sense fae Shetlander and 9walker.

It's time to move on fae dis debate.

All that it is doing is delaying any chance we have of getting any improvements to the ferry service.

The idea that ferry crew and the council are working together is laughable, considering they ditched the new ferries for whalsay in 2010 and went with a tunnel.

Surprisingly enough they couldn't secure funding which will be even harder now after brexit.

[The bear]

As I understand from the Norwegian contractors the tunnels would have been financed via there banks no pot of gold needed all they wanted was the ferry payment each year for I believe 5 years to cover the cost and then hand it back to Shetland.

Going back to ghost rider statement "is it not more complicated than that" well it can be as simple or as complicated as you want to make it!!!

[9walker]

Well bear if it 'can be as simple or as complicated as you want to make it', why do you not just nip to Norway and fetch one of these cheap tunnels, then we can open it next weekend with a barbeque & disco.

Edited September 26, 2016 by 9walker

[glipper]

Well bear if it 'can be as simple or as complicated as you want to make it', why do you not just nip to Norway and fetch one of these cheap tunnels, then we can open it next weekend with a barbeque & disco.

 

If the S.I.C had got there finger out there backside when they first started looking into fixed links we would have them now and they wouldn't have the cost of running ferries and upgrading terminals, 

The time there been farting about we could have had a tunnel built to Norway and Aberdeen,

Edited September 27, 2016 by glipper

[shetlander]

Blyed to see a bit oh common sense fae Shetlander and 9walker.

It's time to move on fae dis debate.

All that it is doing is delaying any chance we have of getting any improvements to the ferry service.

The idea that ferry crew and the council are working together is laughable, considering they ditched the new ferries for whalsay in 2010 and went with a tunnel.

Surprisingly enough they couldn't secure funding which will be even harder now after brexit.

Absolutely. Had the councillors at the time stuck to the question of where a new Whalsay terminal should go, it and some of the ferries might well have been biggit by noo. Instead, another pile of money was wasted on plans, surveys, wave studies and whitno and there's no prospect of service improvements anytime soon.

[whalsa]

I believe last time around there was money set aside for new ferries/terminals for Whalsay but then the SIC used perceived divisions within the community to give Whalsay nothing and proceeded to spend the money on other things. A pier in Walls I believe was one and a road near Aith another, quite happy to be corrected on this if incorrect. 

Personally I think all options should be explored but the tunnel idea is just going to take too long for Whalsay. We need an improved ferry service now, we cannot wait another 6 or more years again. 

Could the SIC not look at building a new mainland terminal for the Whalsay route at Bonydale (shortening the crossing to 10 minutes) and perhaps look in to a tunnel to Yell (would benefit Yell, Unst and Fetlar) then when that is complete give Whalsay the Yell ferries and look at providing a tunnel when their lifespans come to an end?

[shetlander]

I believe last time around there was money set aside for new ferries/terminals for Whalsay but then the SIC used perceived divisions within the community to give Whalsay nothing and proceeded to spend the money on other things. A pier in Walls I believe was one and a road near Aith another, quite happy to be corrected on this if incorrect. 

 

Personally I think all options should be explored but the tunnel idea is just going to take too long for Whalsay. We need an improved ferry service now, we cannot wait another 6 or more years again. 

 

Could the SIC not look at building a new mainland terminal for the Whalsay route at Bonydale (shortening the crossing to 10 minutes) and perhaps look in to a tunnel to Yell (would benefit Yell, Unst and Fetlar) then when that is complete give Whalsay the Yell ferries and look at providing a tunnel when their lifespans come to an end?

 

Again, it'll likely depend on time and money. Would Whalsay benefit much from a new terminal at Bonidale without the bigger Yell ferries to use it? If so, I'd doubt a tunnel to Yell could be planned and biggit within 10 years even if there was money available for it.

 

I suspect finnin money even for a new terminal at Bonidale will be a struggle but a lot will likely depend on whether the Scottish Government take over responsibility for ferries/terminals. If they take the view that fares, service levels and the age of ferries/terminals need to be brought in line across the board I'm not sure it'd be a good thing for Shetland. 

[Ghostrider]

Going back to ghost rider statement "is it not more complicated than that" well it can be as simple or as complicated as you want to make it!!!

 

I'd rather make it as uncomplicated as possible, which is what it isn't right now.

 

Losing the oceans of red tape (and associated cost) that the EU and Holyrood is would go a long way, as would getting a local government who thought for themselves and thought outside of the box.

 

Finally, its all very well calling for tunnels/bridges instead of ferries, but its not for any one person or group of people to dictate either way. Is there verifiable proof of a clear majority in favour of a fixed link in the isles concerned? Without that, there is no mandate for anyone to be pursuing the fixed link option.

 

Short/medium term folk still need to get on/off the isles somehow, and knackered boats and piers aren't going to cut it.

Edited September 27, 2016 by Ghostrider

[whalsa]

 

I believe last time around there was money set aside for new ferries/terminals for Whalsay but then the SIC used perceived divisions within the community to give Whalsay nothing and proceeded to spend the money on other things. A pier in Walls I believe was one and a road near Aith another, quite happy to be corrected on this if incorrect. 

 

Personally I think all options should be explored but the tunnel idea is just going to take too long for Whalsay. We need an improved ferry service now, we cannot wait another 6 or more years again. 

 

Could the SIC not look at building a new mainland terminal for the Whalsay route at Bonydale (shortening the crossing to 10 minutes) and perhaps look in to a tunnel to Yell (would benefit Yell, Unst and Fetlar) then when that is complete give Whalsay the Yell ferries and look at providing a tunnel when their lifespans come to an end?

 

Again, it'll likely depend on time and money. Would Whalsay benefit much from a new terminal at Bonidale without the bigger Yell ferries to use it? If so, I'd doubt a tunnel to Yell could be planned and biggit within 10 years even if there was money available for it.

 

I suspect finnin money even for a new terminal at Bonidale will be a struggle but a lot will likely depend on whether the Scottish Government take over responsibility for ferries/terminals. If they take the view that fares, service levels and the age of ferries/terminals need to be brought in line across the board I'm not sure it'd be a good thing for Shetland. 

 

Whalsay would benefit from a shorter crossing (10 minutes as opposed to 30 to Laxo or 45-50 to Vidlin) because as well as cutting down on peoples travel time the existing ferries could do more runs and the costs would be lower. 

 

At the Community Council meeting in Whalsay last week the SIC made it clear there is no Plan B, either the Scottish Government comes with money to improve the service or we are stuffed and the Isles will be left to ruin. Not a good situation to be in. 

 

As Ghostrider says, if we had our own autonomous Government with access to our own revenue streams then all of this would be much easier. The Faroese have world class transport links, there is no reason why we couldn't have the same. 

[shetland2016]

Subsea Tunnels

 

I do believe this way forward subsea tunnels for outer islands  Norway and  faroe Islands have proved that over years of operation it successful .SIC Members have been in faroe islands lately and have seen transportation system. In detail they know this way forward.  For funding this not so big issue as all over uk and Europe is private public partnerships with local Governments, Sic don’t have to take whole burden on their shoulders. And for time scale .to build tunnel from start the construction takes 2 years  max like yell sound 24 hour operation . so I think that harbors and ships could last this time as shurly not in that bad condition  .Scottish government  don’t object to fixed links as end day they would save funds as well. Would it   not be great go from unst to  Lerwick in short time Not to  worry on ferry times or weather conditions. People can move any time of day even to work.even to build tunnels required  construction crews min 2-300 construction people each one so this is  work for locals as well and good for islands, tunneling companies are Professional  people were by there been doing it over 50 years more so this not problem from start to complete at there cost not public funds

 

Transportation number one for Sic to look at and  they must think min 30 years ahead for young generation  future and people of employment in outer areas  and thus would increase population on islands  tunnel is save and 120 years usage and more.   The ferry costs are high to operate if to give good service to island people .but even this  could put out to tender were by some company operates  it for them on contract  concession were by SIC don’t have to spend on ferries  directly or via consultant transport companies to pay large fees to them

 

Airports same In faroe islands small airport but now was extended  to take Airbus 319- 320s into were by airline instead 40 50 passengers take 150 and more at one flight, thus  tourism and business can travel into faroes  to develop economy,   this were scasta Airport  can be lengthened by 700m can be done 

 

And people could fly to Aberdeen low cost prices  were by easy jet  Ryne air would look at coming into island    to compete  same cargo aircraft  example for shell fish fly direct to Europe markets but this not possible because lack of a good normal Airport runway

 

So Ladies and gentleman, things can be done but not just with SIC to have burden Private public partnerships way forward to develope region  shetland  can have more toursim as at present only max 50% used becuse avation facilitys not there   thats lost to shetlands becuse transportation requierments to offer airlines 

[The bear]

Great comment shetland2016 so if sic get there fingers out fixed links wouldn't really cost them anything it would cost the scottish government what they put into operating the ferries now for a few years. So what the hell are we waiting for?

[glipper]

They cana aford fixed links they say..!! but i heard tonight from a good source at a meeting  there looking at putting a crew toilet and shower where the ticket office is in the Bressay ferry Leirna and rigging a new ticket office at deck level at a cost off £40'000, the main instigator of this is an ex Whalsay skipper who seems to proud to pee where the passengers pee !!!

Edited September 27, 2016 by glipper

[The bear]

We all need to apply pressure to the council for fixed links. This would bring investment to the isles and repopulation would result and therefor the council would benefit in the long run. I can't understand why they can't see it or is there another reason?

[magwen]

It would seem that your correspondent, Glipper, has been a wee bit mis-informed, on the subject of the "Leirna" crew toilet.  As someone who spent 9 years of his fishing career, doing his "jobbies" in a cut off 5 gallon drum, the subject of a "Leirna" crew toilet, is one of supreme, utter and total indifference, to me.  However, never let the facts get in the way of a good smear campaign......what say you Glipper ?

 

Magnie Stewart

ex Whalsay skipper and crewman on the Bressay ferry "Leirna".

[whalsa]

^^^ Never ant Magnie, easy for folk to make outrageous claims anonymously online. The comment had little relevance to the main topic ony y.