The UK Government is to fund a new lifeline ferry service for a remote Scottish island. The Government will give £26.8m to provide a new, lifeline roll-on, roll-off ferry for Fair Isle in Shetland.
It is one of ten Scottish infrastructure projects which have landed more than £177million in support from the UK Government’s Levelling Up Fund. There were hundreds of applications for the scheme.
Other successful bids include £19.4m to demolish the A78 dual carriageway to transform Greenock town centre and £9m for the demolition and regeneration of two shopping centres in Cumbernauld.
Shetland Council was knocked back in 2021 for the UK Government’s first round of levelling up funding for a replacement ferry. Projects in Kilmarnock, Dundee, Fife, Stirling, Peterhead, Dumfries and Galloway and East Lothian will also receive money.
The funding is part of a £2 billion total for more than 100 projects across the UK. The Scottish Conservatives have welcomed this support.
Scottish Conservative Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Local Government Miles Briggs said: “We are delighted that these exciting projects have been awarded such significant financial support from the UK Government.
“The grants received from Rishi Sunak’s Levelling Up fund will enable a wide range of transformative projects across Scotland to go ahead that might otherwise have remained pipe dreams.
“The projects will bring huge benefits to the areas in question. Not only will they enhance economic growth, they will restore people’s pride in the places they live.
“It is brilliant to see so many projects secure funding as the UK Government continues to deliver for the people of Scotland. The Levelling Up Fund highlights how our country can collectively tackle regional challenges by working together as one United Kingdom.
“We hope all parties will join us in warmly welcoming the UK Government empowering our communities by investing in so many innovative projects. This is levelling up in action.”
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