‘Engineering assessment’ finds fixed link plan to be ‘impractical’

Transport Scotland has confirmed to The Orcadian this morning that proposals for a bridge between Orkney and the Scottish mainland are no longer being considered, following a report by The Times yesterday.

Responding to this, Orkney’s MSP Liam McArthur has said that “there is a debate to be had about the role fixed links may play in the future.”

However, alongside Northern Isles representatives Alistair Carmichael MP and Beatrice Wishart MSP, he has criticised the Scottish Government for developing the fixed link plans without consulting local people.

It was reported by The Times that plans were being taken forward for a bridge connecting South Ronaldsay and Gills Bay, as part of a wider investment project from Transport Scotland.

According to a Transport Scotland spokeswoman, the project did progress through a “preliminary appraisal stage”.

However, it was later discounted at the “detail stage” following an engineering assessment of the options for a 15km tunnel and a 12km bridge, which found that both were impractical.

The matter was raised as a parliamentary question by Highlands and Islands MSP Donald Cameron.

Transport minister Jenny Gilruth said the second Strategic Transport Projects Review (STPR2) “did not recommend further work on the business case development of this proposed fixed link after being considered at the detailed appraisal stage”.

She said: “An engineering assessment of the shortest possible road tunnel and alternate bridge option, which measured 15kms and 12kms respectively, concluded that both options were currently impractical to construct.

“The tunnel on the grounds of fire safety and the bridge due to the potential length of span required over the deepest section of water.

“Furthermore, while the STPR2 Case for Change for the Highlands and Islands Region highlighted issues relating to the resilience of island connections, no analysis undertaken through the STPR2 process supported a conclusion that a fixed link connection between the Orkney Islands and Scottish mainland would address this strategic problem.

“Instead, STPR2 recommendation 24, recommends the renewal and replacement of the Clyde and Hebrides Ferry Services and Northern Isles Ferry Services vessels including progressive decarbonisation by 2045.”

Responding to the news, Mr McArthur said: “Orkney’s ageing internal ferry fleet urgently needs replaced, but Scottish Ministers claim it’s nothing to do with them. As a result, islanders face delays, disruption and often not even being able to get on their lifeline services. On Pentland Firth routes, SNP promises over RET remain undelivered, keeping the cost of travel on these routes needlessly high.

“Meanwhile, through freedom of information we learn that the Scottish Government has been busy working on plans to build a bridge across the Pentland Firth. While these plans have now been dropped, it is remarkable that no engagement took place with the local community.

“There is a debate to be had about the role fixed links may play in future, but it is not one that can take place in secret between SNP Ministers and their officials.”