(Image: PA)
Local people must have the right to decide whether bridges and tunnels are worth the risk to island identity, a parliamentary inquiry leader has said.
Patricia Ferguson, chairman of the Scottish Affairs committee has said fixed links could help Scotland’s remote island communities survive, says residents understandably fear that they could undermine island way of life, while the experience of Skye showed how increased visitor numbers can put pressure on roads, housing and services.
But she said the potential benefits of better connectivity deserved serious consideration as island communities face population decline and a shrinking pool of working-age residents.
She spoke after The Herald revealed ferry-dependent island communities face a deepening depopulation crisis, with the working-age population in sparsely populated parts of the Western Isles projected to fall by almost a third by 2043, while the number of children across the islands is forecast to plunge over the next decade.
The working-age population in the sparsely populated area of Na h-Eileanan Siar is projected to fall by 32% between 2018 and 2043, according to the Scottish Government-commissioned analysis seen by The Herald. The forecast applies to the sparsely populated sub-area, rather than the whole Western Isles council area, but underlines the scale of the long-term challenge facing remote communities.
The outlook for the next generation is also stark with the number of children aged under 15 in the Western Isles projected to fall by 21% between 2022 and 2032, with Orkney facing a 13% decline, according to a Scottish Government impact assessment. In Shetland, the population aged 0 to 15 is forecast to fall by almost 20% over the same decade, according to National Records of Scotland (NRS) analysis.
Some MPs are warning that poor transport links are compounding the difficulties facing island communities, and is arguing that bridges and tunnels could transform the prospects of some places by making it easier to travel, work and do business.
Ms Ferguson said the experience of the Faroe Islands showed how fixed links could make it more attractive for people to live on remote islands by giving them better access to jobs, services and opportunities.
What is the right choice for islanders? Photograph by Colin Mearns
“Having a fixed link can help towards reducing depopulation and discouraging depopulation, and in fact, can encourage people to live on more remote islands than they might have done otherwise,” she said.
She said the principle was that islanders should be able to access opportunities regardless of where they lived.
But Ms Ferguson stressed that fixed links would not be right for every island and that the wishes of local people had to come first.
“There will be some islands and there will be some islanders that don't like the idea of losing that island identity, and that's very understandable,” she said.
“Which is why it needs to be the islanders themselves that make the decisions.”
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The committee has heard concerns about the effects of the Skye Bridge, which opened in 1995 and helped make the island one of Scotland’s most visited destinations. Its report says housing, roads and public services have not kept pace with the influx of visitors, while some residents believe easier access has encouraged day trips rather than longer stays.
Ms Ferguson said the impact of fixed links had to be considered alongside the infrastructure needed to support any increase in visitors and economic activity.
She said decisions should follow widespread consultation, with communities given a genuine say over whether a fixed link was wanted and whether other approaches might be more appropriate.
Asked whether a referendum should be held, she said: “Well, I don't know if you have to go that far, but again, that really needs to be a local decision.”
"I think you need to have widespread consultation, certainly, and take that consultation seriously as well.”
The Scottish Government said it "recognises the importance of being guided by island communities’ perspective and priorities".
The committee has previously heard evidence that bridges and tunnels can help reverse depopulation, but it has also stressed that fixed links would only be practical on a limited number of shorter crossings. Most islanders would continue to depend on ferries, making improvements to the existing network essential.
Ms Ferguson said ferries would remain part of the transport system for the foreseeable future, even in the Faroe Islands, where most islands are now connected.
She also argued that transport links alone would not determine whether island communities could thrive, saying economic opportunities and investment were equally important.
The Caledonian Macbrayne ferry 'Isle Of Arran' arriving at port Ellen on Islay.
“It's a whole picture there of the economy, the population, the opportunities that are offered to young people, and the support that can be given to people who are maybe not so young as well,” she said.
The committee believes the UK Government could play a role in supporting fixed-link proposals despite transport being devolved to Scotland. Ms Ferguson said assistance could include technical expertise, project management, planning or financial support.
“There's a whole big raft of opportunities there for each level of government to be involved and to make things work, but it does need to be driven by the islanders themselves, and I think that's really really important to emphasise.”
Difficulties of travelling between islands could affect everything from getting to work to running a business, even when ferry services were operating as planned.
“Even if ferries are running to time and there's no problems about maintenance and all the rest of it, there are still issues about weather and just about the geography, she said She pointed to the SaxaVord spaceport in Shetland as an example of the challenges facing businesses in remote locations, saying the journey involved three ferry crossings as well as a long trip.
“If you're trying to take in materials and you want people to go there and work there, then it's going to be very difficult,” she said.
“It's taking away anything that discourages people from making their homes in the islands and from staying in the islands too, and of being able to give their families the same opportunities as people on the mainland have.”
She said the committee wanted both governments to work with communities to examine whether proposed links could be delivered and whether they were the right solution.
A Transport Scotland spokesman said: “The Scottish Government is committed to strengthening the long-term prosperity and resilience of all our islands. Through our new National Islands Plan, which has population retention and attraction as its overarching objective, we have committed to working with local authorities to explore financing models and promote investment opportunities in fixed links projects within their areas.
“We are committed to continuing our close engagement with island councils. The National Islands Plan is also clear that the perspectives of islanders will need to be central in informing the future of any fixed link project."