[Z]

Ireland tunnel

A tunnel or bridge between Britain and Ireland has been discussed for decades. It would boost tourism and business activity on both sides of the Irish Sea, supporters argue. But what about the engineering?

Bridges are normally cheaper. But a UK-Ireland bridge would have to be long. Donghai Bridge at 20.2 miles linking Shanghai and offshore Yangshan is sometimes called the longest sea bridge. In the most realistic locations, a bridge to Northern Ireland or the Republic would be even longer.

A 21-mile bridge from Galloway in Scotland to Northern Ireland was proposed in 2007. Think-tank the Centre for Cross Border Studies put forward the proposal to provide international rail links that could compete with air services.

The Chambers of Commerce of Ireland called in 2005 for a part tunnel, part bridge link to carry trains between Tuskar, County Wexford, in Ireland and Pembrokeshire in Wales. Three-quarters of Irish firms surveyed at the time said that a fixed link with Europe was vital.

The Irish Academy of Engineers has envisaged a 50-mile rail tunnel with a journey time from Dublin to Pembrokeshire of 70 minutes.

Four main routes have been proposed. Two run from Scotland to Northern Ireland - Campbeltown to County Antrim, or Stranraer to Belfast.

Two run from Wales to the Republic, a northern and southern route, where the Welsh peninsula juts into the Irish Sea.

Bill Grose, former chairman of the British Tunnelling Society, says there are two critical issues for siting the tunnel. First, the location that most supports transport demand, and how well served that location is by rail and road links. Second, the shortest distance across the sea.

Holyhead to Dublin is about 50 miles of water, Fishguard to Waterford is about 45 miles and Stranraer to Belfast is about 20 miles.

The Campbeltown to County Antrim route is only 12 miles but the town is in an isolated part of Scotland that would need transport links to be cut through mountainous terrain.

The most financially viable appear to be those from Wales to the Republic, Grose says. "Intuitively Holyhead to Dublin is a more preferable route than the others. It's closer to Manchester and Liverpool and connects straight into Dublin."

Rail rather than road would be more realistic both financially and from an engineering point of view, he says. Rail tunnels cost about £60m a kilometre (accounting for one tunnel in each direction).

Road tunnels need to be about 50% bigger and a tunnel between Holyhead and Dublin would need a ventilation island halfway, which would not be cheap. With the Channel Tunnel historically struggling to make money on a much bigger catchment area - the UK and continental Europe - many will doubt whether there is really the business case for the tunnel.

Also the benefits would be much greater in Ireland, which would gain a through-route to continental Europe, than in Britain, which would only gain a route to Ireland. The Irish government would be called on to provide at least half the cost, something that might seem unlikely in these straitened times.

Cost: Bridge at £3.5bn (2007 estimate by Centre for Cross Border Studies), tunnel much more

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-23672538

What do you think? Is it a good idea? Where would be best for this proposed bridge to be built?

[arista]

Yes a bridge , if safe ,
would be good

[reece(:]

If they did tolls they'd make a HUGE amount of money afterwards.

If it makes Ireland easier to rule, then I'm all for it.

[Z]

Dublin to Holyhead looks like it would make the most money but I think a direct link between Northern Ireland and Scotland would be brilliant, so many Northern Irish people live on the west coast of Scotland. Campbeltown is about 3 hours away from Glasgow but it's the shortest link and therefore cheapest; Stranraer is less remote but I don't know if it's any closer in terms of driving time. Rosslare-Fishguard seems a bit obscure but it'd be good for the south of the Republic to have a link to the south of Wales, easier to get to London by driving.

[Marc]

Be closer to Niamh?

[Jarrod]

The Dublin to Holyhead route is pretty busy and Holyhead is always popular with travelers this time of the year so maybe that's the best

[_Seth]

I think it's a brilliant idea! I can't believe I've never heard of/thought of this, either, like.

[Jessica.]

I think they should connect Rosslare to Fishguard, I have gone to London by road multiple times and the busses were always completely full, the ferry between both points was 3 hours long, if that was sped up it would be so great, also there wouldn't be the WAITING for the ferry too. I doubt the people who run the ferries would want a bridge though.

[Marc]

Lets create a bridge between Scotland and Iceland next

[Z]

Ireland would have to foot most of the bill though... so it's probably not feasible until it's out of the recession

[LikeABoatOnWater]

Yeah thats a good idea, and turn Wales into the new front line on terrorism.

[Niall]

I think it would be a great idea. Getting there by means other than flying at the moment is a total faff. A high speed rail link from Dublin to Britain (maybe even extending down to London?) à la the Eurostar would be fantastic.

[Ramsay]

Originally Posted by Jesus.

If it makes Ireland easier to rule, then I'm all for it.

[Nedusa]

I think a 10 mile Road Tunnel linking Portpatrick in Galloway to Donaghadee in County Down in Northern Ireland would be the best proposal as it is the shortest route. A bridge would be susceptible to closures during the Winter due to the inclement weather experienced over the Irish sea.

[Scarlett.]

Originally Posted by Nedusa

I think a 10 mile Road Tunnel linking Portpatrick in Galloway to Donaghadee in County Down in Northern Ireland would be the best proposal as it is the shortest route. A bridge would be susceptible to closures during the Winter due to the inclement weather experienced over the Irish sea.

Good point about winter weather, a tunnel is definately the safer option.

[Scarlett.]

Originally Posted by Niall

I think it would be a great idea. Getting there by means other than flying at the moment is a total faff. A high speed rail link from Dublin to Britain (maybe even extending down to London?) à la the Eurostar would be fantastic.

It'd be even better if they linked directly to the Eurostar, imagine a direct link from Ireland to Europe.

[lippyzippy]

id have to go with tunnel is 10 miles is the nearest point, that's too far in that weather

also it may be the irish taking us over, not the other way around

[bansheewails]

Well, I would vote for bridge, because there is no way in hell I am getting into a ten mile long tunnel, that would be like something out of a Sy-fy horror story!

[hijaxers]

In a word NO

[Tregard]

Would kind of screw with ships going through the Irish Sea

[GypsyGoth]

If they made the bridge look like a giant penis, it'd be as if the countries were having sex.

[Z]

Originally Posted by GypsyGoth

If they made the bridge look like a giant penis, it'd be as if the countries were having sex.

Did I ever tell you that you're my favourite member Claudia? Because I really love penises. I mean you. I mean penises. I mean you. I mean member. I mean you.

[GypsyGoth]

[Princess]

It would be handy but I could still see myself flying back and forward, it's just easier. Unless the time would be less which is very unlikely or if it was cheaper than a 50 quid RyanAir flight.