The number of subsea fibre cables that have been laid in Scotland and in Scottish waters: FOI release

Information requested

How many subsea fibre cables have been laid in Scotland and in Scottish waters in the period 1 September 2021 to the present day. Please if possible include Scottish Government funded cables that have been laid and also those laid with private sector funding.

Response

I enclose a copy of some of the information you requested.

In the period 1 September 2021 to 1 August 2022, 12 of a total of 16 planned subsea cables have been laid as part of the Scottish Government funded Reaching 100% (R100) programme.

The laying of the R100 subsea cables started in May 2022 with work ongoing to lay the remaining cables. The routes for the laid subsea cables are:

Yell to Unst
Shetland to Yell
Shetland to Whalsay
Fair Isle to Shetland
Sanday to Fair Isle
Sanday to Stronsay
Eday to Westray
Eday to Sanday
Orkney to Shapinsay
Hoy to Flotta
Flotta to South Ronaldsay
Eigg to Scottish Mainland

The routes for the 4 remaining subsea cables due to be laid this year are:

Colonsay to Mull
Scottish Mainland to Lismore
Iona to Mull
Orkney to Rousay

Further information regarding these subsea cables can be found on the R100 website: https://www.scotlandsuperfast.com/the-r100-programme/r100-subsea-deployment/

With regards to subsea cables laid with private sector funding, we can only provide data pertaining to subsea cables laid through the Scottish Government’s Reaching 100% (R100) programme. Any cables laid through private funding is considered commercial data and not something we hold.

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