Western Isles councillors back roads linking islands but rule out tunnel to mainland

Comhairle nan Eilean Siar has backed the development of fixed road links across the Sound of Harris and the Sound of Barra, while ruling out support for a bridge or tunnel to the Scottish mainland.

The council’s position is set out in its submission to the UK Parliament’s Scottish Affairs Committee, which is conducting an inquiry into connectivity for Scotland’s island communities.

The Comhairle’s submission states that completing the Western Isles spinal transport route through fixed links would cut journey times, improve reliability, and strengthen economic and social ties between communities. It concludes that problems with mainland connections “can be resolved through the provision of a fit-for-purpose ferry service alongside improved and more affordable air connectivity.”

Updated costings from HiTrans estimate a Sound of Harris fixed link would cost between £109.6m and £145.1m at 2025 prices.

The Comhairle’s submissions state that adding renewable energy infrastructure to the Sound of Harris link would add approximately £135m in costs, but could generate significant revenue from electricity sales, with the costs being weighed against the expense of maintaining ferry services.

The submission also details longer-term issues with the ferry service, noting a 2,000% rise in breakdown-related cancellations over 13 years — from 217 in 2010 to 4,485 in 2023.

The economic impact of ferry disruption on tourism and the food and drink sector across North Uist, Berneray, Benbecula, Grimsay, South Uist, Eriskay, Colonsay and Arran was recently estimated at £4.4m.

The Sound of Harris service, operated by MV Loch Portain, is constrained by daylight-only operations, tidal restrictions, weather cancellations and limited capacity. A fixed link would “allow free access across the islands without the constraint of a timetable,” the submission states.

Potential benefits of the link, identified in the submission, include year-round reliable access, improved healthcare accessibility, extended tourism seasons, and support for business development. The document acknowledges one potential downside: easier travel to larger centres could undermine local services in smaller communities.

Transport Scotland’s Strategic Transport Projects Review 2 recommended investigation of the links, though these were not included as National Developments in National Planning Framework 4. The Comhairle states it will develop a consultation document with Transport Scotland to gauge community views on the fixed links.

The submission acknowledges the potential for UK Government involvement, noting that the Union Connectivity Review raised concerns about ferry reliability, frequency, and capacity for remote communities.

That review identified the Highlands and Islands as being particularly reliant on tourism and growing sectors such as renewables and space, while being significantly distant from existing strategic transport links, and recommended government support for economic development in the region, as part of a ‘multi-modal’ UK transport network.’

Councillors will be asked to formally approve the response at next week’s Transportation and Infrastructure Committee meeting.