New causeway for island community

Eriskay currently has a population of 130

The last car ferry to Eriskay from South Uist has made its final trip as a new 1.6km causeway was officially opened to regular traffic.

The causeway linking the islands is part of the £9.4m Eriskay and Sound of Barra integrated transport project which has been under way since May last year.

The project also includes ferry terminals on Eriskay and Barra for a vehicle ferry, the last link in north-south communications between the Western Isles.

The causeway, which carries a two-track road, a new water main and mains electricity - replacing the existing underwater cable - was the largest civil engineering project of its type under way in the United Kingdom.

Eriskay's new causeway will complete transport links

The last ferry journey was attended by members of the council's transportation committee, Western Isles MP Calum Macdonald and Western Isles MSP Alasdair Morrison.

Council convener Alex Macdonald said: "This will be a great day for the Western Isles. The Comhairle's plan for an integrated spinal route through the islands has moved a major step forward and we can all take pride in that achievement.

"I would like to pay tribute to the often-difficult work of the ferrymen over the years as they have confronted very challenging tidal and weather conditions."

'Jobs are getting lost'

Councillor David Blaney said the move would benefit the whole community.

He said: "Most people can appreciate it has been tidal and ferries sailing at different times of the day, and they will now have a normal life like everyone else on mainland Uist."

The move means all the occupied outer islands will be connected by boat, causeway or bridge, which should boost the local economy.

But Donald John Rodgers, who has been working on the Eriskay ferry for 21 years, said the causeway was not all good news.

"Jobs are getting lost on the island in a small community. We are losing six or seven jobs immediately and that's a lot on small island like Eriskay," he said.