Bridge between Scotland and Ireland

[harry]

The whole idea is barking mad. Madder even than HS2

[The Natural Philosopher]

Someone who has Done Sums?

too much.

[charles]

run HS2 to Dublin

[nightjar]

Once the Brexit transition period is over, it will probably be more attractive to get a ferry direct from Dublin to another EU port.

[nightjar]

Alternatively, you design the bridge so that high winds are less of a problem. For example, the Dartford Crossing will be completely closed by

70mph (112kph) cross winds, while the same wind speed on the Milau viaduct will only close it to high sided vehicles. It takes wind speeds of 140kph (87mph) to close the viaduct completely.

It has been done with causeway bridges in other countries.

[nightjar]

There is an alternative, shorter, route that doesn't cross the trench. The problem with that is that it would need a lot of additional infrastructure on land to improve access to it.

[charles]

Britany Ferries have been running a sevice: Cork <> Roscoff since May 2018

[polygonum_on_google]

Currently three and a half hours driving from Glasgow to Largiebaan.

Yes, a lot of additional infrastructure. Quite possibly it would still be faster to go via Pembroke Dock, Abergwaun (Fishguard), Anglesey, Birkenhead, Liverpool, Heysham or even Stranraer than go that far out of the way.

Even if they added a double-hop bridge across from Ayr via Arran which would ramp up the costs even further.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

Boris is certainly out for the grand projects. Like the airport on the Thames estuary. He's not got much of a track record with bridges, though. And hope he gets an expert to provide the buses for all his new proposed routes. I'm told his 'Routemasters' are to be phased out shortly in London. Too expensive to maintain.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

Fortress UK? When do we fill in the Chunnel?

[newshound]

Only where it makes sense!

[Martyn Barclay]

Wales voted 52.5% in favour of leaving the EU in the 2016 referendum, although areas like Cardiff bucked the trend.

And *if* by that time there is a unified Ireland within the EU, & Scotland is also an EU member, maybe the EU will pay for the bridge!

Just as an aside, it was interesting to note that the NATO secretary-general Jens Stoltenberg has confirmed that an independent Scotland would have to leave the alliance because "a new independent state has to apply for membership and then it is up to 28 allies to decide whether we have a new member. All decisions in NATO are taken by consensus, so we need the consensus of all allies."

[Jethro_uk]

That's *if* an independent Scotland should wish to join NATO.

[charles]

Since the SNP are determined that the Royal Navy leave the Clyde in the event of Scottish independence, why would Sccotland want to join NATO?

[Dave Plowman (News)]

Not heard of that one. They do want rid of Trident, though.

[Martyn Barclay]

The SNP's White Paper"Scotland?s Future" sets out the country?s role as ? a committed and active participant in the global community of nations?. It would join NATO and the UN as an independent member ?as swiftly as possible?. Among other things it proposes are: Take over existing naval, army and air force bases within Scotland.

Inherit a share of defence equipment in negotiation with the rest of the UK.

Set its own budget of £2.5bn for defence and security spending.

Build up maritime capabilities, including air and sea-based patrol, and specialist forces.

Work towards a total of 15,000 regular and 5,000 reserve personnel in the decade following independence (from 7,500 regular and 2,000 reserve personnel at the point of independence).

Ensure ?the units of the Scottish army will carry on the names, identities and traditions of Scotland?s regiments.

The MoD has said that "companies in Scotland would not be permitted to bid for defence contracts that the UK currently prioritises for domestic suppliers for national security reasons." Nicola Sturgeon, has hit back at this, telling the Greenock Telegraph in August that naval contracts would continue to go to Scottish shipyards on merit because they were the only place in the UK equipped to build type 26 frigates. John Dolan, GMB convenor at the Scotstoun yard in Glasgow: ?She was saying that the Clyde is the only game in town. I?m afraid it is not. There?s shipbuilders in Cammell Laird in Liverpool. You have got the A&P Group on the Tyne, who are shipbuilders, and you have got Barrow in Furness. So to say if Scotland goes independent we will still be building Type 26 frigates? listen, I assure you that if we go for independence we will not be building. We have been told quite clearly by the UK government and I have been told quite clearly that will not happen.?

Also the MoD, the shipbuilding union and BAE themselves all claim that major warship builds would be reconsidered *if* Scotland left the UK. There?s also the matter of contracts using US technology, defence contractors that work with items or technology of US origin are also covered by undertakings given in accordance with the US International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), under which any change to an existing US export licence requires US State Department approval. An independent Scottish state would be a third-party country, not covered by existing UK-US ITAR agreements. UK companies would not have authority to transfer items and information that is subject to ITAR licence to their subsidiaries or other companies in an independent Scottish state or to a Scottish national.

[charles]

The Clyde Naval Base is "Trident" and it's associated kit.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

Yes. But not wanting a 'nuclear' base doesn't mean they don't want any navy ones. There are other navy bases in Scotland.

[charles]

there's Rosyth

[Andrew]

It would be closed even more often than the old Severn Bridge, now the M48.