We CAN build a bridge to Ireland: firm’s plan for eco-link across Irish sea
Exclusive by David Bol Political Correspondent
THE Scottish Government has been formally approached by Swedish architects
proposing that a bridge to Northern Ireland can be built … and combined
with 140 wind turbines to power hundreds of thousands of homes.
In September last year, it was revealed that Boris Johnson asked his
officials to draw up costings of building a bridge between Scotland and
Northern Ireland.
This led to Scottish Secretary Alister Jack stating he backed a link
between the two countries, saying he was “on exactly the same page” as the
Prime Minister, despite favouring a tunnel.
Jack claimed the connection could be built by 2030 and would boost the
economy of both Scotland and Northern Ireland.
The £20 billion project would need to be at least 28 miles in length to
connect the two countries between Portpatrick and Larne in Northern Ireland.
Transport is devolved to both the Scottish Government and the Northern
Ireland Executive.
The speculation has led a Swedish firm, which claims it is “known for its
innovative solutions to diverse tasks in infrastructure”, to submit its
eco-friendly plans to the First Minister.
In the letter, sent directly to Nicola Sturgeon, the firm whose name has
been redacted by Scottish Government officials, submitted its proposals for
“the exciting power bridge”.
It adds: “Our concept is to combine a complete transportation
infrastructure with a wind turbine farm.
“The foundations of the bridge are extended upwards into pylons each
supporting a 1.5MW wind turbine. One hundred and 40 of these pylons placed
along the length of the bridge will carry an equal amount of turbines
producing 210,000kWh of electricity, about 1,800 million kW per year.
“The estimated yearly electric energy consumption of a UK citizen is on
average 4,000kWh, this means that the power bridge would be able to supply
energy to 450,000 inhabitants in the near region.”
The Stockholm-based architect also proposed that the structure cater for
both road traffic and trains.
The letter adds: “Regarding transportation, the bridge will boast four car
lanes on the upper level separated by a service lane dedicated to the wind
turbines’ maintenance as well as two train lanes on the lower level.
“This innovative work defines an ecological and sustainable design for
future bridges and should the UK go ahead with this idea, it could become
the number one instigator in this field.
“We would be delighted to provide more information on the subject should
you wish to develop this project further.”
Such a power bridge does not yet exist. Some suspension bridges across the
globe are powered by nearby wind farms, while proposals in Spain and Italy
involve placing wind turbines underneath the arches of bridges and
viaducts. Germany and Sweden have proposals to link up the two counties’
power grids with a connection.
Earlier this year, it was revealed that almost 14 million trees have been
chopped down across Scotland for wind turbines to be built.
The Scottish Government aims to generate 100% of its electricity from
renewable sources this year. Half of all energy produced, including
heating, is set to be provided from renewable energy by 2030. As of the end
of 2018, the total capacity of all renewable electricity in Scotland,
including wind and solar, was 10.9GW.
A letter, now made public, was sent to Scottish Transport Secretary Michael
Matheson last year by North Down Borough Council in Northern Ireland. In
it, the local authority claims that it was told by Scottish Government
officials in 2018 that a connection was “an important element of your
ongoing review” into transport infrastructure.
The letter adds: “With regard to the possibility of a bridge, you advised
that this would be a complex task and that it would be premature to
speculate on options, but that Transport Scotland officials had been
instructed to initiate discussions around exploring connectivity issues
between Scotland and Northern Ireland.”
But Matheson and his Northern Ireland counterpart Nichola Mallon have
written to the UK Transport Secretary Grant Shapps, telling him the link is
not a priority “for either government” and stressed that the UK’s lack of
dialogue with the Scottish and Northern Irish administrations over the
project “does not respect devolution”.
In his letter to Shapps, Matheson blamed “budget constraints from
successive UK Governments” for a lack of transport investment having “held
back progress for our communities”.
Matheson bluntly said he “looks forward to hearing from you in the
availability of the £20 billion to us” rather than “waste significant money
and resource that could be put to better use on practical, deliverable
projects”.
He added: “I strongly believe that if £20 billion is available for
investment in infrastructure in Scotland and Northern Ireland that rather
than indulging the Prime Minister with this vanity project, such funding
should be made available to our respective governments so it could be
better spent on meeting the priorities of the people we represent.”
The bridge proposals hit a major stumbling block when bomb-disposal experts
warned it would be too dangerous to build a bridge due to more than one
million tonnes of unexploded munitions thought to be stashed in the
30-mile-long Beaufort’s Dyke – which lies on the most direct route for a
connection.
The plans were subject to a scathing assessment by leading economic think
tank, the Fraser of Allander Institute (FAI). The FAI said the concept
would clash with climate emergency aims and suggested the money could be
spent on better things.
In a resounding opposition to the plan, the FAI said: “It won’t deliver the
economic boost some claim, it isn’t a priority, it would go to the wrong
location, it wouldn’t be consistent with climate change objectives, and the
money could be better spent on other things.
“Apart from that, it’s a cracking idea.”
A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “The Scottish Government has not
investigated or undertaken any feasibility for a fixed link between
Scotland and Northern Ireland and has no current plans to do so.
“Infrastructure investment should focus on projects that improve lives,
support communities boost, our economy and work towards net zero. That is
how we are planning Scotland’s future infrastructure investment.”
Westminster is standing by its ambition for the connection.
A UK Government spokesperson said: “We are committed to ambitious
improvements to infrastructure.
“We are looking at a wide range of schemes to improve connectivity and
drive economic growth for all parts of the UK, using the power of the union.”
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