The Shetland Times Live

Police to screen drivers for drugs in pilot scheme

December 6, 2024 | 12.12pm

Isles police will be piloting a new scheme to catch people driving under the influence of drugs.

Police Scotland will then roll-out the screening appliances across the country, if the six-month trial is successful.

A dozen officers have completed the training, with one officer claiming it would be a helpful tool in the crackdown on illicit drugs.

Sergeant Alex Barry told The Shetland Times it provided a “real opportunity” for officers to take the lead in preventing substance-related crime.

“It hits the nail on the head with what we are looking out for,” Sgt Barry said. “From my non-roads policing point of view, it gives me a lot more breadth to capture stuff like that.”

This training allows officers who have recently received drug wipe training to detect those driving under the influence of controlled substances at the roadside and is a big step forward in terms of road safety in Shetland.

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In this week’s Shetland Times

December 6, 2024 | 7.00am

In today’s (Friday, 6th December) edition of The Shetland Times:

 • EXCLUSIVE: Infected Blood survivor calls for more accessible Hep C testing, treatment.

 • EXCLUSIVE: Police chief offers advice after hundreds of fraud cases revealed.

 • EXCLUSIVE: Patients helped by hyperbaric chamber.

 • EXCLUSIVE: Noise pollution from Viking turbines “like a motorway”.

 • Skipper on “confusing” quota changes for 2025.

 • “Once in a lifetime” sight of new killer whale calf.

 • SPORT: Full results of the Shetland Badminton Senior Open.

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  • Best Days with Shetland's Birds - Paperback

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  • From Honky-Tonks to Helicopters

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Councillors to debate free bus tickets 

December 5, 2024 | 1.00pm

Councillors will vote next week on a two-year trial program for all-round free bus travel across the Isles.

If successful, the plan would make Shetland the first place in the UK with free bus rides for locals.

The motion, proposed by Shetland South councillors Alex Armitage and Robbie McGregor, will go before their colleagues in a vote at the full council meeting on Wednesday.

Mr McGregor said free transport “would grease the wheels of Shetland’s economy.”

Free buses would be a “win-win-win for people, planet and the Shetland economy” said Dr Armitage, noting the Scottish government’s aim to reduce car travel a fifth by the end of the decade.

“We have more private cars on the road than ever. It’s just not sustainable,” he said. “We need bold, innovative policies like fare-free public transport to provide real incentives for folk to get on the bus.”

Dr Armitage and Mr McGregor first proposed free bus and ferry travel for islanders two years ago, but the idea was narrowly rejected over the question of funding.

This time, Dr Armitage said there are “cost-neutral” options for the SIC, drawing on a possible new tourist levy, government funds announced in the new budget, or the isles’ community benefit fund.

“We were knocked back when we tried this two years ago,” Dr Armitage told The Shetland Times, “but I’ve been working quite hard to get it this time.”

If passed, next week’s motion will ask councillors to look for funding before voting on a roll-out plan in the new year.

Council approves £400,000 for new health projects

December 5, 2024 | 12.18pm

The health and social care partnership has signed off almost £400,000  for six new projects – from mental health to patient accommodation – but rejected two.

At a meeting this morning (Thursday) morning councillors and representatives of NHS Shetland approved the selection unanimously.

The more expensive project selected will see new accommodation facilities for people with learning disabilities, complex needs and older people who can no longer be supported safely in their own homes – costing £133,000.

More than £92,000 was also approved to hire a mental health nurse, for a 12-month pilot.

The full list of eight projects was first floated at a meeting of the Integrated Joint Board (IJB) committee last month, when members where overwhelmed by the number of options, and asked for time to consider them properly.

The two rejected projects would have created a “pathway” to help people suffering with chronic pain, staffed by four specialists, and a post for an official to “address health inequalities”.

Together they would have cost almost a further £190,000, pushing the board overbudget for its non-earmarked reserve.

“All applications were absolutely in line with where the Board want to go,” said chairwoman, Natasha Cornick. ”But we can’t approve every application because we don’t have the reserve funding to enable us to do so.”

UPDATE: Trapped truck forces Whalsay to go down to single vessel

December 5, 2024 | 11.20am

Whalsay’s ferry service was forced to go down to a single vessel due to a “stuck” fuel truck. 

According to the service’s voicebank, the LHD fuel truck’s brakes were “stuck on” the Linga – with the vessel forced to remain at the Vidlin terminal until the issue was resolved. 

As a result, the Hendra has been operating to a single vessel service between Whalsay and Laxo. 

All bookings had been suspended and vehicles were advised to use the booked lane. 

The Linga is expected to depart Vidlin at 12 noon and will resume full service along with the Hendra from 12.45 onwards. 

Government announces inter-island transport funding boost

December 4, 2024 | 3.38pm

A £20 million transport funding boost has been announced for ferries, flights or tunnels.

Extra funding for inter-island connections will be allocated to Shetland and Orkney, the Scottish finance secretary Shona Robison revealed today (Wednesday), opening the door to ambitions for fixed links.

Ms Robison said it could be used for “flights, ferries or tunnels between islands”.

The SIC’s political leader Emma Macdonald welcomed the announcement – but said it was too soon to say what the extra funding would be used for.

Mrs Macdonald said she had been engaging with Ms Robison and First Minister John Swinney about the need for more resilience in the council’s current ferry operations.

“We know we have some significant challenges that would be improved with an additional vessel,” she added.

Mrs Macdonald said it was still unclear what level of revenue funding the SIC would receive towards the £23m annual costs of running the ferry service.

“We need to see the detail to know what that looks like within our settlement,” she added.

“Decisions around this additional allocation of capital will obviously be made by members and it would not be appropriate for me to suggest how that would be spent but I am sure it will be welcomed by all members.

“A mention for Shetland in the budget is always a good thing and I am really pleased that it has been recognised by the Scottish government the need to invest in our islands.”

ZetTrans chairwoman Moraig Lyall echoed the leader’s comments.

She said the funding was “clearly welcome” but “just a start on what is needed”.

Mrs Lyall said discussions would take place to determine where the funding is focussed.

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Petition for new connectivity plan reaches parliament

December 4, 2024 | 12.03pm

Rural communities can ill afford to be left behind in the “digital age,” a Labour Party campaigner said after he submitted a petition to parliament.

Scottish election hopeful John Erskine – who is running on the list vote – called for a new digital connectivity plan to be developed for the Highlands and Islands.

The petition asks the Scottish government to tackle digital infrastructure shortfalls, improve mobile internet coverage, and foster public-private partnerships, creating opportunities for economic development, healthcare access, and education in the region.

This comes before “significant changes” are made to telecommunications in the region with the impending phase-out of radio teleswitch meters and the retirement of copper phone lines.

“Reliable internet and mobile coverage are not luxuries—they’re lifelines for businesses, education, and healthcare,” Mr Erskine said.

“A comprehensive digital connectivity plan is vital to ensuring these communities have the tools they need to thrive.”

Challenges with telecommunications already face the Highlands and Islands, he added, with 25 per cent of Shetland experiencing internet speeds below 30Mbps.

Mobile phone connections were “patchy or unreliable” in many areas and gaps in digital infrastructure hindered growth in tourism and local industries.

The Holyrood public petitions committee considered the submission for the first time on Thursday, 28th November.

NorthLink cancels Orkney stop for rough weather

December 4, 2024 | 10.14am

Citing rough weather, NorthLink has cancelled its call into Kirkwall, Orkney, on the southbound ferry leaving Shetland Wednesday evening.

Both Wednesday night ferries to and from Lerwick could also arrive up to an hour late, the ferry operator said.

Northlink had first warned of possible delays on Monday.

The Kirkwall stop on Thursday remains under review, with poor conditions expected through the weekend into Monday.

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New quotas are ‘unfair’, say fishing representatives 

December 3, 2024 | 2.30pm

Fishing representatives have criticised new quota reductions for next year as unnecessary, unscientific and unfair on Shetland’s fishermen.

Delegations from the EU, Norway and UK agreed to cut catch limits of herring and cod by a fifth in an agreement signed on Monday.

Daniel Lawson of the Shetland Fishermen’s Association said the decision was “disappointing” and “due to a lack of understanding”.

Haddock quota were also reduced by five per cent. Allocations for plaice, saithe and whiting were increased, however, the lattermost by 46 per cent compared to this year.

Mr Lawson called for better investment in fisheries research, so that “volatile” scientific results do not drive unnecessary cuts.

He said: “This is not the fault of fishermen, but it is they and their businesses which end up paying the price for scientific shortcomings.

“Until we see re-investment in fisheries science, these quota talks, and the livelihoods of our members, will continue to be hampered by uncertainties, unknowns and instability.”

The UK and the EU are expected to reach an agreement for other fish species later this month.

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Tenants return to Sandveien homes

December 2, 2024 | 4.27pm

The first tenants to return to Sandveien were welcomed after major construction work to rebuild the properties.

Almost two years after families were moved out for the demolition of the hold houses, the process has now begun for those people to return to their new homes.

Partners Kyle Duncan and Kitty Horváth, and their two children, have today (Monday) moved into a newly-built three-bedroom property.

Their return marks the final stage of the housing project, with other tenants expected to move in over the coming days and weeks, in time for Christmas. 

SIC housing executive manager Anita Jamieson said she was delighted for the project to be coming to an end.

“Handing over the keys and seeing our tenants moving into these houses is a great moment and the housing service is really pleased to be able to celebrate the completion of this project,” Mrs Jamieson said.

Work began in March 2023 on the rebuild project, which comprises six two-bedroom houses and two three-bedroom houses.  The overall project cost around £2.5 million, which has attracted £700k of funding from the Scottish government’s More Homes Fund.  

The project was fully delivered by local companies comprising lead contractor DITT Ltd (supported by local subcontractors), plus architects PJP Architects, engineering consultants Mott Macdonald, quantity surveyor Jim Nisbet and Case Shetland as clerk of works. 


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