The residents od Skye were happy enough when in 1989 the Conservative government opened the bidding for tenders to construct a bridge linking the island to the Scottish mainland.
Until then, the Caledonian MacBrayne ferry company provided a ferry service over the short crossing from Kyle of Lochalsh to Kyleakin - fine except for the waiting, especially in bad weather or high tourist season, and the cost. Another ferry operates from Mallaig to Armadale, with a longer crossing not recommended for anyone suffering from seasickness. The only other ferry, in summer, is a tiny, ancient, hand-operated ferry between Glenelg and Kylerhea, a fascinating museum piece.
The people of Skye optimistically expected to pay a toll similar to that of the Forth Road Bridge (about 40p).
When the bridge opened in 1995, people were shocked to find they had to pay £5, each way. A bit steep for a bridge spanning 500 metres, which used to be waded and swum at low tide by up to 8000 head of cattle per year being driven from Skye and the Outer Hebrides, down to lowland cattle markets such as the Falkirk Tryst. The ferry had been stopped when the bridge opened, so "Skye Bridge Limited" was operating an essential public service in conditions of monopoly.
Choice of Construction Company
The Skye bridge was built under the Private Finance Initiative (PFI), one of the first projects of this kind. The very low electoral consensus of the Conservative party in Scotland was in no way improved by this initiative! The tender was awarded to Miller-Dywidag, a consortium responsible for designing, raising capital and building the bridge, who counted on financial support by the Bank of America. The private company Skye Bridge Limited was set up, tolls up to £24 million would go the cover the investment, after which the bridge would pass into public hands. Somehow the period of toll charging extended to 27 years, and financing proved problematic.
Choice of Free Cantilever Bridge
The German partner in the consortium, Dywidag-Systems International (branch of Dyckerhoff & Widman AG), proposed a free cantilever design of box girder type, with a central span of 250 mt. and two shorter, lower spans of 125 mt. each. This design was the most economical proposed, and met with most favour among the population.
The Skye Bridge and the Otters of Eilean Bàn
Eilean Bàn (the White Island) forms a stepping stone for the bridge. This island once belonged to Gavin Maxwell, author of Ring of Bright Water. Maxwell had had two lighthouse-keeper's cottages built into one house, at the time when he lived at nearby Sandaig with his famous otters.
In 1966 the house at Sandaig was destroyed by fire, and Maxwell, mourning his home and his pet otters, moved into the house on Eilean Bàn. In 1967, the renowned naturalist John Lister-Kaye joined him on Eilean Bàn, to collaborate with a book on British wild mammals and setting up of a nature reserve. Maxwell died from cancer in 1968, but John Lister-Kaye stayed on and wrote The White Island, published in 1972.
Twenty years later a public enquiry, which delayed and increased the cost of the bridge, recognized the need to protect the local population of wild otters.
After the bridge was built, the Eilean Bàn Trust was set up, by the Kyleakin community and Viriginia McKenna's Born Free Foundation, taking over the parts of the island not occupied by the bridge, and opening the Brightwater Centre.
Tolls Abolished
The Skye Bridge tolls were a matter of complaint for years. Some local people refused to pay and ended up in court. They joined forces in SKAT (Skye and Kyle Against Tolls) and obtained reduction of tolls for those who purchased blocks of twenty tickets. The battle dragged on for nine years, until the Scottish Parliament, purchased the bridge within months of opening on October 9th, 2004. On 21st December 2004 the Scottish Transport Minister announced that toll collection ceased.
The Scottish Executive paid about £27 million pounds to the private Skye Bridge Company, to compensate for loss of revenue for the remaining period.
Considering that the old Scottish Office had paid £12 million for approach roads and design changes, £3 million in advisory fees and land-purchase, £7.6 million to subsidize tolls for residents, and had lost £1 million per year ferry revenue, the final outlay of public funds was about £60 million. In nine years, the private company enjoyed over £33 million in toll revenue (against maintenance costs under £4 million).
This prompts George Monbiot's question: "Why have we paid £93 m for a £15m bridge?" (The Guardian, 28 December 2004).
But now that the controversy is over, visiting Skye is a pleasure.
Sources:
- Report by Comptroller and Auditor General, Scottish Office Development Sept. 19 May 1997
- George Monbiot, The Guardian , 28 December 2004
Valerie Wilson - Valerie Wilson has lived, studied and worked in Scotland, Germany and Italy; mainly employed in multi-national companies in shipping ...
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