Alex Salmond announces £12m for runway repairs during Shetland visit A weather-beaten island runway that has partly fallen into the sea will be repaired with money from the Scottish Government, the First Minister has said. Alex Salmond announced a grant to repair the east runway Shetland's Sumburgh Airport which has been extensively damaged by bad weather in recent years. The repair bill is estimated to be around £12m and the grant is part of the Scottish Government's commitment to deliver for "every corner of Scotland" before 2014. It is planned that works will begin over the summer to ensure they are completed before winter sets in. Announcing the grant during a summer cabinet visit to Shetland, Mr Salmond said: "The runway at Sumburgh is a gateway to Shetland and the residents rely on the air connection for both personal and economic reasons. It is essential that another bad winter does not result in the runway deteriorating any further and that this lifeline connection is maintained. The Scottish Government aims to work with Highlands & Islands Airports and Shetland Islands Council to ensure that the works can be completed on time without disruption to services. During 2014, Shetland will focus prominently in Scotland's Year of Homecoming and it is essential that everything is done to afford the welcome our visitors deserve. Mr Salmond said the announcement demonstrated that the Scottish Government is committed to improving communities "in every corner of Scotland." He added: "Our summer cabinet programme will show that communities across the country contribute in different, but equally important, ways to Scotland and that each is treasured by the country as a whole, bound together by a set of shared values and a common economic aim. Throughout the programme, we will demonstrate that, from the very tip of Shetland to the Borders town of Hawick, each unique community has its part to play and its own stake in the future of Scotland.