Cross-party MPs call on UK government to fund island bridges and tunnels

In a new report, the cross-party Scottish Affairs Committee warned that aging ferry vessels impose “intolerable limitations” on island residents in Shetland and the Western Isles. The committee, which includes Labour, Conservative, Liberal Democrat and SNP MPs, recommends that viable bridge or tunnel projects be pursued to complement, not replace, ferry services. Evidence from the Faroe Islands, known for its extensive bridge-tunnel network, informed the recommendations.

Committee chair Patricia Ferguson emphasized that any decision must rest with the island communities themselves and that both the UK and Scottish governments have roles in supporting such infrastructure. The report calls for the UK government to evaluate proposals based on social and cultural benefits, not solely on economic return.