A tunnel between Northern Eire and Scotland is among the many proposals ministers are contemplating as a part of a broad UK connectivity evaluate, Grant Shapps, the transport secretary, confirmed.

“One of many parts of this evaluate is that we must always have some type of mounted connection – it could possibly be a tunnel, it could possibly be a bridge – between, say, Scotland and Northern Eire, which is the closest passage, ”he stated lately. the BBC.

“Actually, it is odd in a approach that we do not have a connection to a different a part of the UK, so we’re taking a look at whether or not or not that’s possible.”

The Transport Connectivity Evaluate is being carried out by Community Rail Chairman Sir Peter Hendy as a part of Boris Johnson’s efforts to enhance transport hyperlinks within the UK. Two engineering professors have been commissioned to conduct a examine on the feasibility of a bridge or tunnel, specifying its price, schedule and the work concerned.

Specialists warned, nonetheless, that the depth of the Irish Sea and the presence of submerged WWII munitions would pose issues.

Shapps stated any mounted hyperlink between Scotland and Northern Eire is extra more likely to be a tunnel than a bridge. He stated: “I think about you would wish to tunnel because of climate components. What we’re speaking about right here is to cross or dig a tunnel at a distance from right here to France the place we’ve notably constructed a tunnel.