Bridge proposals progress to connect Orkney and Scottish mainland

UPDATED

A quick trip across the Pentland Firth by car could become a reality in the future as proposals for a bridge are being taken forward by Scottish ministers.

It has been reported today that plans are being considered for a bridge connecting South Ronaldsay and Gills Bay, as part of a wider investment project from Transport Scotland.

The information was obtained by The Times through a Freedom of Information request. The report this yielded also includes proposals for a tunnel connecting the Isle of Skye and Benbecula and a bridge between Mull and Oban.

The response to the request, which has been supplied to The Orcadian by Transport Scotland this afternoon, includes the “Preliminary Appraisal Summary Table” for the second Strategic Transport Projects Review. The review sets out recommendations for the future of transport investment over the next 20 years.

Among the options being “retained” for further consideration is a “ferry link/fixed link from South
Ronaldsay to Gills Bay (mainland) and onward new road connection to Inverness.” According to the summary table, this “requires holistic consideration of connectivity alongside ferry options.”

In a statement to The Times, a spokesperson for Transport Scotland said: “The review recommends that further work is undertaken on business cases for these proposed links to better understand the benefits, costs and challenges associated.

“The studies would take into account the role of existing ferry services and involve input from communities that may potentially be affected.”