THEY are among the proudest islanders in the world, famous for the stoicism with which they have endured waves of invaders and the brutal rhythm of the sea at the northern extremity of Britain.

But Orkney may take a step towards relinquishing its heritage tomorrow by approving a series of studies likely to result in a £100 million tunnel linking it to the Scottish mainland.

For years anybody wanting to travel between Orkney and John o’Groats has had to endure an hour-long ferry journey across the Pentland Firth, one of the most turbulent sea crossings in Europe. There are flights to Orkney from Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Glasgow and Inverness, but fares are relatively expensive.

If, as expected, the 13 members of Orkney Islands Council’s transportation and infrastructure committee say “yes” to the feasibility reports, the nine-mile ferry crossing could become a ten-minute drive.

The first study would look into a £30 million project to build two tunnels between inner islands. A further one investigating a link to the mainland is expected to follow.

Captain Bob Sclater, the chairman of the committee, was once greeted with howls of laughter when he mentioned the idea of an tunnel. Now his vision could become reality. Captain Sclater said: “We’re now showing that this isn’t a pipedream. The idea is getting closer.” Despite the benefits that a tunnel could bring — not having to replace ferries every 20 years, faster journeys and travel regardless of the weather — some islanders believe that they are outweighed by the potential problems.

A survey for the The Orcadian newspaper this year found that 71 per cent of inhabitants were against a tunnel to the mainland, and 52 per cent opposed tunnels between the inner isles.

As well as the possible harm to local businesses and the risk that a tunnel to John o’Groats might make Orkney ineligible for financial grants, many believe that it would do incalculable damage to their unique island culture. They fear that the islands, about twenty of which are inhabited, would suffer an increase in crime and an uncontrollable tide of visitors.

Jeremy Baster, the council’s director of development services, said: “Orkney would no longer be an island, and some people don’t like that.”

Tom Muir, the exhibitions officer at the Orkney Museum, said: “Some people are very positive about the idea, but others feel that a tunnel to the mainland would erode the island’s identity and some of the good aspects of being so isolated.”

In May last year council members visited Norway to learn about the country’s 24 sub-sea routes. In March councillors attended an “inspiring” presentation by a Norwegian tunnelling expert, who predicted that a 9.3-mile tunnel to John o’Groats could be built for about £6 million a kilometre, or a total bill of £100 million.

Captain Sclater said: “The sum of money we’re looking at isn’t all that much. You also have to consider the ongoing subsidies to the ferry service and that a replacement ferry is about £35 million.”

Tomorrow’s committee meeting is expected to recommend that an engineering report be carried out into two tunnels, each a mile long, between Mainland, the principal Orkney island, and the isles of Rousay and Shapinsay.

As well as assessing costs, the report will investigate the geology and marine environment. The main challenge then would be funding the project.

“There would be considerable cost,” Captain Sclater said. “We would probably be looking to Brussels as well as the Scottish Executive.”

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