One of the UK’s most remote and beautiful islands could get a bridge to the mainland

One of the UK’s most remote islands may be about to become a lot less remote. The picturesque Isle of Mull, located just off the west coast of Scotland, is the subject of a new Scottish government paper that has suggested bridges, tunnels or causeways could link the island to the mainland.

The island is currently accessible by boat or, less commonly, private plane – which are both modes of transport that are obviously affected by inclement weather. 

Driving does admittedly seem like a less romantic way of reaching a remote island than via a boat sailing through the mist. But at least it’s more reliable. 

The new paper, which is part of Scotland’s National Islands Plan, found that a more reliable and speedier route to getting on and off the island could offer ‘lasting benefits for communities, businesses and visitors alike’. It follows a similar review in 2022 that suggested long-term advantages of such links. 

And Mull wasn’t the only Scottish island that got a mention in the paper. Other new fixed crossings could see Barra (nicknamed the ‘Scottish Caribbean’) connected with the Uist islands, which themselves could be linked to Harris and Lewis.

A new bridge to the mainland, making travel easier and making Mull better connected to the mainland – seems like a no-brainer, right? But there are potential downsides to the crossing. The report noted that there was a danger of ‘a perception of eroded island identity’ as the area would be ‘permanently changed’.

Indeed, the National Islands Plan also acknowledged: ‘While some see them as transformative opportunities, others prefer to prioritise investment in existing transport modes. The perspective of islanders will therefore remain central to guiding our work in this area.’

The proposed changes won’t come cheap, either. The 2022 review estimated that the three suggested crossings could cost a total of £1.29bn.

A Transport Scotland spokesperson told BBC News: ‘The Scottish government remains committed to taking forward work on the three proposed fixed links. The next step is in determining whether there is a robust enough business case and local support to progress these options for more detailed consideration.

‘The business cases for a potential Sound of Harris, Sound of Barra fixed links and a fixed link between Mull and the Scottish mainland would need to consider the benefits, costs and challenges associated with these interventions and would further consider the feasibility of improving island connectivity through these additional fixed links.’

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