The debate surrounding a permanent tunnel or bridge for the Isle of Mull has transitioned from local speculation into a formal component of Scotlands national infrastructure strategy. While no final blueprint or construction start date exists, three specific government pillars hosted on official gov and parliament domains confirm that the project is currently in an active appraisal phase. To understand the reality of the situation, one must look past the headlines and examine the technical notes, ministerial plans, and parliamentary minutes that define the current scope of the project. This rigorous process of documentation ensures that any future infrastructure is based on sound economic and geological data rather than political whim or temporary public interest.
The Strategic Transport Projects Review 2 STPR2
The most critical document in this discussion is the Strategic Transport Projects Review 2 STPR2, published by Transport Scotland. This report outlines the national transport investment priorities for the next twenty years. Within the final technical reports, Recommendation 41 explicitly addresses the potential for fixed links to replace existing ferry services. Specifically, Recommendation 41 advises that the Scottish Government undertake detailed business cases to evaluate the benefits and challenges of three potential fixed links: the Sound of Harris, the Sound of Barra, and a link between Mull and the mainland. The report categorizes this as a high impact intervention for the Island Communities Impact Assessment ICIA and provides a preliminary cost estimate ranging from £1 billion to £2.5 billion. This document serves as the trigger for the current feasibility studies and can be accessed via the STPR2 Recommendation 41 Technical Note.
The STPR2 is not merely a suggestion; it is the result of a multi year technical review that analyzed thousands of potential projects. By including the Mull tunnel in the final 45 recommendations, the government acknowledged that current ferry infrastructure faces long term sustainability issues that only a fixed link may solve. The recommendation emphasizes that while the capital cost is high, the reduction in lifetime operational subsidies for ferries could provide a significant return on investment over a sixty year period. This shift in thinking marks a fundamental change in how the Scottish Government views its obligations to remote island communities.
The National Islands Plan 2 February 2026
In February 2026, the Scottish Government published the second iteration of the National Islands Plan. This plan is a statutory requirement under the Islands Scotland Act 2018 and represents a ministerial commitment to improving the resilience of island communities. Unlike previous mentions of a tunnel, the 2026 plan moves the proposal into a Long Term Implementation workstream. The plan confirms that the Scottish Government will work in partnership with local authorities to carry out detailed appraisals for the fixed links identified in STPR2. This moves the project beyond a mere recommendation into a programmed action. The policy shift is primarily a response to declining ferry reliability and the need for sustainable demographic growth on the islands. The specific commitments to these appraisals are detailed in the National Islands Plan 2 Connectivity Section.
The 2026 plan also highlights the importance of the Carbon Neutral Islands project. Proponents of the tunnel argue that a fixed link would significantly reduce the carbon footprint associated with heavy diesel ferry operations. However, the plan also notes that a subsea tunnel would create a massive carbon debt during construction, and decision makers must weigh this impact against any long term savings.This balanced view in the National Islands Plan 2 is what currently fuels much of the intellectual debate on the island regarding environmental versus economic priorities. It also stresses the need to preserve island culture throughout any major infrastructure changes.
The Scottish Affairs Committee Inquiry 2025 2026
At the UK Parliamentary level, the Scottish Affairs Committee has been conducting an inquiry titled Connectivity in Scotland Fixed links. Throughout late 2025 and into February 2026, this committee has taken evidence from transport experts, local council leaders, and international representatives to determine the strategic case for tunnels. A significant portion of the oral evidence sessions has focused on the Faroese Model and explores how the Faroe Islands financed and constructed subsea tunnels.The minutes of these meetings are essential because they record the high level discussions regarding whether the UK Government should provide strategic funding or Levelling Up grants to support the Scottish Government’s ambitions. The transcripts and submitted written evidence from stakeholders are archived on the UK Parliament Fixed Links Inquiry page.
The committee’s investigation has delved into the specific engineering challenges of the Hebrides. Unlike the Faroe Islands, where the geology is predominantly basalt, the Sound of Mull presents a mix of volcanic rock and sedimentary layers that may complicate boring. The parliamentary minutes record testimony from geological experts who suggest that while a tunnel is technically possible, the specific depth and length required would make it one of the most ambitious engineering projects in British history. These records reveal the physical and financial hurdles that planners must clear before they move a single stone.
Local Government Response and Minutes
While the national government is pushing the appraisal, local records from Argyll and Bute Council show a more complex reaction. In committee minutes from March 2023 and updated statements in early 2026, the council has expressed concern regarding the topography and the specific route of a potential link. Official council minutes record that while a tunnel across the narrow Sound of Mull may be technically feasible, it does not necessarily align with the primary travel patterns of islanders, who largely rely on the link to Oban. The council’s formal stance emphasizes that any fixed link appraisal must be weighed against the immediate, urgent need for a functional and affordable ferry service. These discussions are captured in the Argyll and Bute Council STPR2 Outcomes Report where councillors noted that a tunnel thirty years away does nothing to help a farmer getting livestock to market next Tuesday.
The council minutes also reflect a deep concern regarding the socio economic impact on Tobermory and Craignure. If planners built a tunnel at the narrowest point of the sound, traffic would shift away from existing hubs and could devastate local businesses that rely on ferry footfall. These official records provide the necessary counterpoint to the optimistic national strategy documents. They highlight the tension between national engineering ambitions and the lived reality of those who maintain the islands economy on a daily basis.
Conclusion of Current Status
The project currently sits in what the government terms the Appraisal Stage. At this point, officials have vetted the concept for strategic alignment and now carry out a rigorous technical and economic evaluation. This stage comes before the creation of a Detailed Business Case, when planners will finalize specific routes, environmental impact assessments, and public consultations. The surge in public interest is not due to a new construction announcement, but rather the project’s transition from a theoretical idea into a costed, policy backed workstream within these official government records. For those seeking the truth behind the project, these four pillars of documentation provide the only verified roadmap currently in existence. Official minutes currently hosted on government domains do not support claims about finalized routes or immediate groundbreaking. This measured approach aims to ensure that any link built will serve as a sustainable asset for generations to come.
