Orkney tunnel
The Orkney tunnel is a suggested undersea road tunnel between Orkney and Caithness on the Scottish mainland. The expected length of it would be about 9–10 miles (15–16 km).
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/86/Orkney_Islands_in_Scotland.svg/220px-Orkney_Islands_in_Scotland.svg.png)
![A map of the Orkney archipelago showing topography and main transport routes. A small island with a high elevation is at south west. At centre is the largest island, which also has low hills. Ferry routes spread out from there to the smaller islands in the north.](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/1d/MapOrkney.gif/220px-MapOrkney.gif)
The tunnel, if constructed, is assumed to make landfall on South Ronaldsay. In 2005, the tunnel was discussed, and then a total bill of £100 million was mentioned.[1][2] There has not been so much discussion after 2005.
There are also suggested plans to connect Orkney Mainland to Shapinsay.[3]
With recent developments of the renewables industry in the Pentland Firth, the idea of a tunnel has lost ground, though there have been discussions of the construction of a bridge over the top of a Pentland Tidal Array.
References
[edit]- ^ David Lister (5 September 2005). "Islanders see a brighter future with tunnel vision". The Times. Retrieved 12 July 2007.
- ^ John Ross (10 March 2005). "£100m tunnel to Orkney 'feasible'". The Scotsman. Retrieved 5 February 2012.
- ^ "Isle tunnel plans under spotlight". BBC News. 9 March 2005. Retrieved 8 June 2009.