
The undersea tunnel network that could transform Shetland's fortunes
The local council says it is pushing ahead with plans to build tunnels to four outlying isles in the archipelago.
Shetland, also called the Shetland Islands, is an archipelago in Scotland lying between Orkney, the Faroe Islands, and Norway, marking the northernmost region of the United Kingdom. The islands lie about 50 miles to the northeast of Orkney, 110 mi (170 km) from mainland Scotland and 140 mi (220 km) west of Norway. They form part of the border between the Atlantic Ocean to the west and the North Sea to the east. The island's area is 1,467 km2 (566 sq mi) and the population totalled 22,986 in 2022. The islands comprise the Shetland constituency of the Scottish Parliament. The islands' administrative centre, largest settlement and only burgh is Lerwick, which has been the capital of Shetland since 1708, before which time the capital was Scalloway. Due to its location it is accessible only by ferry or flight with an airport located in Sumburgh as well as a port and emergency airstrip in Lerwick.
The local council says it is pushing ahead with plans to build tunnels to four outlying isles in the archipelago.
The local council says it is pushing ahead with plans to build tunnels to four outlying isles in the archipelago.