NI: Build a bridge and get over it.

[HanleyS]

Seems like an inflammatory thread title.

No doubt this has been discussed before in some capacity, but has there ever been any talk of actual plans to build a bridge or tunnel between NI and Scotland?

EDIT: This is what made me think of this... http://www.rte.ie/news/2007/0629/bridge.html?rss

[johnfás]

Seems like an inflammatory thread title.

No doubt this has been discussed before in some capacity, but has there ever been any talk of actual plans to build a bridge or tunnel between NI and Scotland?

Would it be economically worth it? A much better trade route would be Ireland to Wales but its too far to be viable when you can get across on the HSS pretty quickly.

How many goods are shipped to the North through Scotland... I don't know the answer but I'd guess, not enough.

[corkman2007]

Seems like an inflammatory thread title.

No doubt this has been discussed before in some capacity, but has there ever been any talk of actual plans to build a bridge or tunnel between NI and Scotland?

A bridge is highly unlikely, especially on Big Ian's watch: "A traitor and a bridge are very much alike for they both go over to the other side." (Ian Paisley, Belfast Telegraph, sometime in the 1960s).

I don't know what his attitude to tunnels is though...

[Sidewinder]

No doubt this has been discussed before in some capacity, but has there ever been any talk of actual plans to build a bridge or tunnel between NI and Scotland?

Allegedly, the water is too deep in the middle of the channel for a bridge, a tunnel would be too expensive and I don't think the geology supports it, and I do believe the British MoD weren't happy about the idea - something to do with Faslane, apparently.

There was once semi-serious talk of a Dublin-Holyhead tunnel in the 80s though.

[HanleyS]

The crossing is 12 miles at some points. From somewhere near Larne to somewhere near Cairnryan it is 22 miles. Both distances are achievable. Economically viable though?

Cork to Swansea is 50 miles. Dublin to Holyhead is 60 miles.

[johnfás]

The crossing is 12 miles at some points. From somewhere near Larne to somewhere near Cairnryan it is 22 miles. Both distances are achievable. Economically viable though?

As I said, I doubt it is economically viable. There is not a huge manufacturing/exporting sector in either country. Most of Scotlands imports probably come through English ports and are then driven up and I'd hazard a guess that much of Northern Ireland's imports come through Dublin so I don't see it as making much sense.

All that is just assumed conjecture though, if anyone has facts on the issues I'd be interested.

[rockofcashel]

doubt it would be viable either. The only country that it would benefit would be Ireland, so it would all fall on the Irish exchequer to pay for it.

[HanleyS]

My thinking is that there are several ferry routes between Ireland and the UK, it would be great to have a road link, but would it be viable. It would have to be a similar setup to the Channel Tunnel because I wouldn't fancy some of the bangers I see around trying a 50 miles trip through a tunnel or over a bridge. There would so many breakdowns.

I have edited the original post to include the link to the news story. The cost of a 20km bridge between Germany and Denmark is €5.6Bn. How much did the Port Tunnel cost? (Actually found it €750m).

[johnfás]

My thinking is that there are several ferry routes between Ireland and the UK, it would be great to have a road link, but would it be viable. It would have to be a similar setup to the Channel Tunnel because I wouldn't fancy some of the bangers I see around trying a 50 miles trip through a tunnel or over a bridge. There would so many breakdowns.

I have edited the original post to include the link to the news story. The cost of a 20km bridge between Germany and Denmark is €5.6Bn. How much did the port tunnel cost?

The English Channel is the busiest shipping route in the world and the economic viability of the Channel Tunnel is questioned - so imagine the questions around this!

I think the Port Tunnel ended up at €750 million.

[HanleyS]

The English Channel is the busiest shipping route in the world and the economic viability of it is questioned - so imagine the questions around this!

I'm just thinking out loud btw, filling the time between working and going out. I've just worked out that for a capital cost of €10Bn with a value of €100 per crossing it would take 100 million crossings for this to be viable. Not so viable maybe.