Councilors have backed preliminary plans to link some of Shetland’s islands with undersea tunnels, which could be built within eight years.
A feasibility study proposed replacing the old ferries with tunnels from the Shetland mainland to Yale and from Yale to Unst, and described them as “economically transformative”.
The plan could see two more tunnels built to the islands of Whaley and Bressay – estimated to cost £1.5 billion.
Council leaders say tunnels would be cheaper than building new piers and changing harbours.
Councilors approved exploring funding options at a meeting in Lerwick on Tuesday.
Council chief executive Maggie Sandison said the project was not going to be easy, but she thought adopting the funding solution was “the right thing to do”.
This could come from a mix of private investment, public subsidies and borrowing, along with tolls to cover maintenance costs.
