Barriers survey launched

People in Orkney are being asked for their views on options the Council might consider in response to wave over-topping at the second Churchill Barrier.

An online survey will be launched on Wednesday 11 March and covers options ranging from possible engineering solutions to new warning systems.

East Mainland, South Ronaldsay and Burray councillor Steve Sankey said: “The council has been considering the problem of wave over topping at the second barrier for many years.

“I’m all too aware that folk in the community would like us to come to a conclusion on measures that may – or may not – be possible to put in place to improve matters.

“The feedback we receive will help gauge community opinion on a number of potential options and I would encourage local residents in particular to take part.

With that in mind we are writing to households across South Ronaldsay and Burray inviting folk to take part in the survey.”

The survey is available here https://www.smartsurvey.co.uk/s/Barrier2/

It acknowledges that fully resolving the over-topping at the second barrier would be a highly complex engineering problem – at a time when the resources available to the Council have become increasingly constrained.

For example, the minimum cost to address over topping on the east side of the Barrier is at least £13.5 million and would have no impact on over-topping from the west. To address over-topping from both the east and the west would require a bridge at a cost of up to £23 million.

Councillor Sankey added: “It was important to spell out the difficulties involved – both in finding a solution and in deciding to spend the many millions of pounds that would be needed to put that solution in place.

“So we are seeking views as well on other potential options. These include new warning systems and further improvements to signage to give folk more advanced notice when over-topping and barrier closures are likely to take place.

“In recent years new signs advising when the barriers are closed - and a Twitter feed providing barriers updates – have been welcomed by the public and we would like to see what else we can do.”

If you do not have access to a personal computer, you can take part in the survey using a public computer at OIC Customer Services in Kirkwall, the Warehouse Buildings in Stromness or at the Orkney Library, where paper copies are available as well. You can also request a paper copy of the survey by phoning 01856 873535 extension 2317.

The survey will run until Wednesday 15 April at 17:00.