boris johnson’s plan cancelled: bridge between scotland and northern ireland too expensive politics abroad

In the pre-Brexit election campaign, Boris Johnson talked about building a bridge between Scotland and Ireland. But nothing will come of the plans.

A panel of experts appointed by the British Prime Minister has declared the idea of ​​a huge bridge over the Irish Sea too expensive. “At this time, the benefit cannot exceed the cost of the public purse,” said the report, presented on Friday. Experts recommended that the mega-project should not go ahead.

Following his election victory last year, Johnson began a feasibility study for a bridge and a tunnel.

It is theoretically possible to establish links between parts of the country “with the most modern 21st century technologies in civil engineering,” wrote the report’s authors. It would also have been the “longest” bridge that has ever been built. The structure with seven massive main pillars will span 30 kms.

Due to the difficulties of construction in the deep and winding strait, however, the bridge would have cost £335 billion (395 billion euros).

According to calculations, the construction of a tunnel, suitable only for rail traffic for safety and technical reasons, would have cost 209 billion pounds (247 billion euros). And: the project would have taken “about 30 years” from planning to commissioning.

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps told the BBC after the report was presented that the project was cancelled: “The tunnel or the fixed link will not be realized.”