Could Boris Johnson’s idea for bridge across Irish Sea work?

Could Boris Johnson’s idea for bridge across Irish Sea work?

A bridge between Northern Ireland and Scotland would be “very good” and would “only cost about £15 billion”, according to the Prime Minister.

So how likely is it that people will be driving across the Irish Sea in the near future? Here are the answers to some questions surrounding the idea.

– Where would the bridge go?

Scotland – N Ireland bridge: possible routes
(PA Graphics)

– How much would it cost?

The cost would of course depend on how long the bridge is. The distance from Larne to Portpatrick is around 45km, while the distance from Torr Head to the Mull of Kintyre is around 20km. Mr Johnson said it would “only cost about £15 billion”. But others have reportedly suggested that £20 billion would be a conservative estimate for any future bridge linking the two countries. So, as for how much it would cost, the only certainty at this stage seems to be that a project of this scale would run into many billions of pounds.

– What problems could the ambitious proposal face?

– How serious is the Prime Minister about the bridge idea?

Mr Johnson has reportedly asked Government officials for advice on the costs and risks of such a project. He first mooted the idea while serving as foreign secretary, telling The Sunday Times last year: “What we need to do is build a bridge between our islands. Why don’t we? Why don’t we?” The DUP – which props up the Prime Minister’s minority government – supports proposals for a bridge which it hopes could bring economic benefits to Northern Ireland and Scotland, but it has also been touted as a potential solution to the controversial backstop.

– Does Boris Johnson like bridges?

Joanna Lumley in 2015 at the site of the proposed Garden Bridge on the Southbank in London
Joanna Lumley in 2015 at the site of the proposed Garden Bridge on the Southbank in London (Philip Toscano/PA)

– Has the Prime Minister championed any other projects that have either failed to get off the ground or faced criticism?

Yes. Mr Johnson’s call for a “Boris Island” airport in the Thames Estuary was rejected by an inquiry looking into the expansion of air capacity in the South East, while the Emirates cable car linking north and south London near the former Millennium Dome did get built, but has faced criticism over limited passenger numbers.

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