It’s weird seeing my little part of Scotland being mentioned truth is road and rail infrastructure in the region can barely handle the current ferry traffic the investment in this would also need investment in local infrastructure
Yeh, the roads to those ferries are over some awesome mountains, but are not what you might call first rate lorry routes. If they were half way sensible, they would push a heavy goods railway to the ferry port from a major rail junction somewhere in Scotland and load the lorries up at the rail junction onto the railway. I don’t think any of this is going to happen but my two cents.
There is no freight rail to the area that I’m aware of its a single track over the same mountains, the A77 North towards Ayrshire is a costal road with cliffs on one side for a lot of it it can’t become a duel carriageway the A75 towards the Anglo Scottish border runs through so many small towns and Villages and most of the land is hilly and would be difficult to be built on
@@matthew7867 that was a “fun” drive even in a mini. I have to imagine the tunnel just keeps going under land for a significant distance to clear those costal mountains.
Yes mat These politicians have definitely not seen the road journey from Stranraer to Gretna Green LOL Are the areas of natural beauty it has to pass thru , No benefit at all the southern Scotland just thousands of heavy lorries on their way to the UK and Europe
Several Bridges in London are still needed further east than the Tower Bridge . one to replace the crowded blackwall tunnel and another one to replace the ferry line further east !
@Zuul Gatekeeper It was a poor excuse for a bridge. It linked the popular south bank to a part of the north bank that no one had any interest in going to and the corporate interests would have seen it closed to the public more often than it was open.
just a note, for this tunnel is that the water level between those points is 100-150 metres in depth, while the channel depth is only about 40-50 metres
True, but that could mean a gradient of less than 1 in 100, modern main line railways are built to handle much steeper gradients, so that isn't necessarily a problem. However water pressure is much greater at that depth, so the tunnel tubes may need to be built to withstand greater pressures if there is any chance of encountering water on the tunnels route.
Just more Boris Bullshit. Also didn’t mention that the rock is a lot harder than round the Channel tunnel. Still, it would be nice of the English government to join a newly independent Scotland, with a re-united Ireland, both within the EU again.
There is a deep trench in the middle, 3 km wide, 300m deep. In this trench is masses of dumped ammunition’s, explosives, chemical weapons and other military equipment.
@@rogngarden Does everything have to be interpreted as party political? If it does, lets try a different approach, how would you feel if the tunnel was proposed by the Labour Party or the SNP? What would you see as its pros and cons then?
Speaking as someone who drives to and from Ireland at least a couple of times a year. I’ve never been on the ferry and the hold not been full of cars/freight, I think this could be a really good idea. A more reliable way to transfer people and goods between Northern Ireland and Britain, this would maybe even increase the volume of goods moving between the Islands as it wouldn’t be held to ransom by the weather. It might even get some baldly needed infrastructure put into the South West of Scotland.
It will e handy when Ireland reuniting and Scotland rejoining the EU we will not have to travel and transport goods to and from the EU without going through England
@PureBredCeltic It'll help Northern Ireland and Ireland also other bits of UK transfer things from each other more easily especially the north and from Europe main land to Ireland instead of by seas all the time. Another thing Western Ireland i believe is closer to The America's which would be easier for the UK to transport things I don't know how Northern Ireland and Ireland feel being snaffled by Europe main land more? It'll be in the works sometime I'm sure, I hope The Irish and Northern Ireland will stop turning away from The UK we need each other
I thought it was also weird that they put a Union Jack on NI instead of the Ulster Banner if they were gonna list all the nations (8:20), but I learnt that the Ulster Banner isn't actually official like the flags for Wales, Scotland or England are. The only official flag for NI is the Union Jack... Which now leaves me wondering why NI is the only nation that does NOT feature the Union Jack on their driver licences 😂
@@counterleo ''Which now leaves me wondering why NI is the only nation that does NOT feature the Union Jack on their driver licences'' Because it would be divisive.
As someone who lives in Northern Ireland, the idea of being able to jump on a train and head over to Scotland sounds like a great idea. How practical it would be?
Impractical, one, there,s a deep channel between Northern Ireland and Scotland,two, all the munitions left over in 1945 were dumped into that trench,those munitions will still be viable!!! Has no one considered that?
I know this is stupid but as someone living in Dublin I really want this so that I have the hypothetical option of driving to China.. (not to be this guy but subscribe to my channel for music and other things)
Its SNP policy to maintain the Common Travel Area even after secession, and I'd assume in the event of secession the UK gov would demand access to the tunnel it paid for, they'd be pretty dumb not to 😋
Eurotunnel was opened pretty much at the point just before Britain began to diverge from the continent - after John Major passed the Maastricht Treaty, but before Britain opted out of the shared currency.
@@alexpotts6520 so was is causal to divergence or irrelevant ? Because you can drop the Scottish Irish tunnel into the same pattern. It will either cause more divergence between Britain & Ireland or it will be irrelevant to the process. It’s not physical infrastructure that is causing the increase in xenophobia, except possibly by allowing people to be scared in the streets by people different from themselves, delivered by said infrastructure.
I think a rail link would be an amazing thing. I'd love to go to Waverley station and see link to Belfast and Dublin. However, I'm reminded that Boris was unable to get a bridge (never mind a tunnel) from London to... London, so while he may have more of the purse strings to tangle himself in now, I don't see this happening within his watch.
i think its one of those would be cool but can't see the UK Government spending that kind of money to do it even if the Republic contributed a bit plus idk what kind of maintenance works a tunnel would need like ventilation wear and tear repairs but i doubt that will come cheap anyway such a tunnel would cost between 10-20 Billion Pounds and take idk 3-7 years to build there's just so much more they could do with 10 Billion pounds that's why it will never happen
@Andrew Hegarty "I'd love to go to Waverley station and see link to Belfast and Dublin"? i wouldn't be holding my breath, were I you... Sadly, the notion of a seamless railway journey across the North Channel is a non-starter, because the two islands have different railway gauges. Thanks to a decision of the British Board of Trade back in the 19th Century, the island of Ireland operates on the Irish Broad Gauge(1,600mm or 5' 3"), while Britain runs on Standard Gauge(1,435mm, or 4' 8&1/2"). I don't think the Irish government would object if the UK was willing to pay for regauging the island's railway system, mind you....
they won't because most likely england would ask to get some of the money back, and in the end would never use it. If both go independant at the same time england would have a lot more trouble pressing them into paying but they would still try.
@@animatechap5176 Well this is the catch 22 isn't it. If Scotland and n Ireland leaves we loose infrastructure we paid for and if we don't build any infrastructure it makes Scotland and N Ireland want to leave. Imo we should at least try to improve relations to maintain the union by these projects, people from England and Wales will still be able to use the tunnel after independence anyway. I think the effect of a physical link from N Ireland to the UK should not be understated.
That would be FAR with a capital F. A tunnel from Holyhead to Dublin would be incredibly convenient for the UK and Ireland, if it were even possible. It would be shorter than one from Wales to Northen Ireland.
If they are to do that, then England could debt trap them by making Scotland pay for the building cost and England getting the revenue from every vehicle that pays the toll.
if scotland leaves it's the reverse, another reason for NI to join the EU for economic reasons, it's just an inneficient but helpful infrastructure project at the end of the day, whatever the impetus behind it it's a positive outcome if completed
@@jackjoyce1744 I somehow doubt they'd get away with retroactively forcing a debt on Scotland for something decided in Westminster before the separation occurred. Edit: Though passing along toll revenue might be plausible.
@@jackjoyce1744 To what end? If they're collecting the tolls then that would simply reduce their income as more people go back to using ferries.. and if they aren't the ones collecting the tolls then they probably wouldn't have any say over the matter anyway. I don't see how that would accomplish much other than biting the thumb just to feel superior while most Scots I imagine would just shrug or at most have a short rant about how terrible England is and they're glad they got out.
Bojo: Oi m8s have a look at my magnificent tunnel blueprint. Going to be a tad bit expensive, but totally worth it Wales: *curled up and crying in some abandoned coal mine*
No longer under the English Empire, providing 17% of Europe's wind and tidal energy, and getting a good price for the one commodity everyone needs - water. Little England dreams of unicorns and blue passports...
With the current rise in the bitcoin price, you get to realize so many people are still waiting for the bottom before buying but in reality, there is no bottom until the asset is actually out of it.
Technically the shortest route possible would connect the Mull of Kintyre to Torr Head - the Irish Sea is only about 10 miles wide there. When you stand at either point, the other side seems amazingly close. But getting to the Mull of Kintyre (or Campbelltown) from anywhere in the UK takes serious time....
Hmmm yes, Scottish independence and Irish reunification and Scotland rejoining the EU = a nice road/rail link between Scotland and Ireland to ferries to the EU for trade that bypasses little England. Thanks Boris.
The other difference between the Chunnel and Bozo's Burrow is that the Chunnel was built through sedimentary rock (as borne out by the white cliffs of Dover) whereas the rock between Ireland and Scotland is igneous and an aweful lot harder to drill through. Also the French built half of the Chunnel from their side and we met in the middle. It still took over 5 years.
Isn't it interesting he frames the tunnel as being between NI and the UK rather than NI and GB? Shows the mindset of the English when thinking about NI.
Dual gauge would be the most sensible option. It very much depends on how the stops between Belfast and Larne figure in all this, and whether these trains stop at Stranraer, or continue on to a major city. If they only go as far as Stranraer, the most sensible option is to use Irish gauge for the whole thing.
@@talideon Similar to the CT, I think you'd have Freight, Vehicle and Passenger trains. The Passenger trains would be best if they were intercity services from London and Bham via HS2, and Glasgow. I think gauge switching trains in this case are probably the answer - minimising infrastructure costs in NI. Freight and Vehicle transport would be standard gauge. Intermodal Container freight coild be lifted from wide to standard gauge cars on the Larne side. The Larne Harbour line would need significant upgrading to handle increased capacity, especially the single line viaduct in central Belfast.
I think with Irish and Standard Gauge having a dual system isn't always workable, as the two tracks would be a little too close (risk of derailment), But not close enough for trains of either guage to run along with either (Finnish - Russian tracks have a 2cm difference but trains of either system can use both with certain speed restrictions). Whilst this isn't an issue for passenger trains (dual gauge trains common in Spain - high speed standard and local Iberian guages), may be more of an issue for freight. On the grand scheme, this isn't the most technologically strenuous issue.
I'm kind of impressed that the tunnel between UK and France technically took only 6 years. I always thought it must have taken 20 years building alone or something.
So, the question is, how much has this already cost the taxpayer? Remember, the London garden bridge cost taxpayers £46 Million without a single brick bought or laid...
@@jtbfii you are Probably right, and in addition to those multi-millions paid our for PPE contracts and the £22 Billion Serco test, track and trace failure.
It may be the shortest route, but as already pointed out, the North Channel is a basin (I think trench describes it better) which is over 200 meters in depth in places.
The crossing will be either hellishly expensive due to the small number of people crossing, or it will run at a loss thus a drain on the exchequer. Overall, a bad idea. I think this is a diversion to distract people from how badly Brexit is going!!
Exactly. The amount of people travelling between NI and the UK would mean this stupid proposal wouldn't turn a profit if it was open for a thousand years.
@@captainwin6333 isn’t Ryanair a thing? Why are people so obsessed with building a bridge or a tunnel there? Not like there’s such a huge freight transport through that region to justify such an expensive build.
A tunnel from Wales to Ireland would be much longer and as such so much more expensive. I am sure the EU would be quite happy to chip in to pay for it.
The Irish have invested in port facilities in their east coast ports. These are used by much bigger ferries than those used between England and France. They run from Dublin to Dunkirk and from Rosslare to Cherbourg. They are in operation now, not 10 years from now, like the ludicrous bridge / tunnel proposals.
BloJo wanting the tunnel is like the captain of the Titanic giving restaurant vouchers to all passengers after hitting the iceberg. A good gesture, but no one is going to be on the same boat not long from now.
The direct rail route between Carlisle and Stranraer was closed decades ago, so you now have to go almost to the suburbs of Glasgow before backtracking south along the coast. Nobody seems to mention that the railways of Britain and Ireland have different gauges, so you would need a new European-gauge line in Ireland. Not only that, but railway freight between Europe and Ireland would be next to impossible, because of the break of gauge.
The problem is that whenever a single project is ever announced or proposed people often just say the same thing. We will literally get nothing done and lag behind other infrastructure around the world because of the NHS sound bite. At some point we have to do other things too
@@alexpotts6520 There is a limit to what the government can/has to spend, money spent on this vanity project would invariably mean something else that could have received more funding won't.
@@Red1Green2Blue3 There *is* a limit to what government can spend, but we in Britain are nowhere near it. Most western European countries have higher public spending as a proportion of GDP than Britain.
No one has pointed out that that part of Scotland is hard to get to and v empty. Plus there is the slight issue that the tunnel would need to go a lot deeper. The North Channel can be over 1000ft deep, almost 10 times deeper than the English Channel.
He mentions that it's two hours from the M6 and fairly remote. It's also not _that_ hard to get to, being on both a train line and A road (there's a direct train to Glasgow for instance - or was, the last time I got the Belfast/Stranraer ferry anyway). Clearly it's not exactly convenient though. (and agreed, not mentioning the depth was an oversight)
@@anonymes2884 the local police will be over the moon if the traffic increases, all those extra vehicles to catch that are a little late for the ferry going a few mph over the limit on country roads
I go to my caravan by the mull of Galloway ( southern most part of Scotland) and I can say that the roads are very narrow and when I went last time the main road to Dumfries was closed and the diverted traffic was on a narrow 1 car track was stuck for what felt like 40 minutes
Not a big problem. The Spanish have trains with bogies that have 'independent wheels' i.e. not connected by an axle. These trains shift between the wider Iberian gauge and the narrower European standard gauge. They do this while they are on the move (at 15 mph) and it take under a minute to change the wheels on an intercity express.
Technically a crossing from the Mull of Kintyre to the Antrim coast would be shorter than this at only 12 miles. Could be an idea if we wanted to connect an even more remote part of Scotland to a remote part of Northern Ireland...
Anyone that has driven through the North ofEngland, crossed the border, onward and past Glasgow, all the way up, along and then all the way back down heading toward and past Campbelltown while rounding all of the glorious lochs and glens (and they are stunning) on single-lane roads often feet away from doom on clear-day, crossing single-vehicle bridges, etc, etc will fill you in on how that simply isn't going to happen. One-breakdown or landslide, which occur frequently, and the route would be £%&$ed. People in Scotland must be pissing their pants laughing at some of the ideas being put forward for this complete and utter financial black-hole of a nonsense.
Yes it’s the shortest distance but it’s more remote than some of the Islands your quickest route to Campbeltown from England is going to ardrossan getting the ferry to arran going to the other side of Arran and getting the ferry to Campbell town like the place isn’t well connected
@@matthew7867 Oh sure that cuts the journey for you and me BUT I can't see it working for ten's of thousands of lorries taking the ferry (both ways) before even getting to/from 'the tunnel' working out very well. It's a nonsense.
If one upgraded the railway to higher speed, and used HS2 to provide fast London - Belfast, Birmingham - Belfast and Glasgow - Belfast journeys there could be significantly improved benefits.
Well that does fit in. The snp, despite wanting independence, also want HS2 extended to Scotland. Given that the tunnel would carry freight trains into northern ireland from places in England, then you have to ask if the existing railway, the west coast mainline, up to carlisle, has enough capacity for the existing trains, plus HS2 trains, AND then trains to Northern Ireland? The easy and best solution would be to extend HS2 to Carlisle, then the new railway across to the tunnel. If Scotland then wanted to build a connection/extention of HS2 North from Carlisle, then they can lobby for it. It is all interconnected and builds upon each piece of the very straight forward puzzle.
@@amateurcameraman it's a little more complicated than that I'd imagine. I think the best route for HS2 to Scotland would be through the middle of the North so it can serve Newcastle and Tyne areas well before going up to Glasgow/Edinburgh. Something such as this would inevitably have to be explored if such a tunnel is given advanced consideration. The possibility of catching one train from Dublin to London would be fascinating though.
@@Alto53 if they do build this tunnel, i can imagine HS2 being extended north via Carlisle. If this tunnel isn't built, then i can see a case for a choice of different routes north. If they still extend HS2 north via Carlisle, then i think the tunnel plans will be dusted off and looked at again after HS2 gets there...
5:10 " passengers and economic value... won't get anywhere near the use that the channel tunnel does": you're using the wrong tense. It should have been "...that the channel tunnel DID" 😂
I live in Dunragit, inbetween Stranraer and Glenluce (marked on your map). I know the town and the area very well. It has suffered in recent years from the CFP of the EU destroying the fishing fleet and from the loss of the ferries to Cairnryan (which is just a hamlet/small village). The town is absolutely CRYING OUT for investment, along with "Wigtownshire" (the old name for Galloway). I think this would be the main point about the tunnel - bringing in investment and GROWTH to the area. BUT there needs to be a MAJOR upgrade to the A75 FIRST, to at least dual carriageway it, and take it AROUND the two villages it still passes through. And the restoration of the main train line from Dumfries to Stranraer which was ripped out in the 50's.
@@alexpotts6520 Well, bloody ANYTHING! If the "burrow" or indeed the bridge were to be built, it would mean a massive influx of construction workers coming into and using the town. Then there's the publicity for the town it would bring. During the war, there was a very strong mitlitary presence here, with air bases, and a naval port. That all went in the 50's as well. So the construction workers would kind of replicate that. My main concern would be that once built, people would simply pass through (around) the town to get to/from NI, so Stranraer would still be shunned. It should be a big shining city here, like Seattle - what a waste!
@@alexanderguestguitars3619 Yeah, that is a good point. I used to live in Kent, Dover was an absolute dump if I'm honest. I'm sure the port was good for local business, but that wasn't immediately obvious from just looking at the town.
@@rskb1957 even if the UK, through fairy dust and magic, became a huge economic power house... We'd still fail to generate enough traffic to sustain this tunnel. It's a shame, the little kid in me wants the UK to have big shiny infrastructure which puts us at the top of Guinness World Records lists (as does Johnson, it seems) but this idea doesn't seem tenable
I like how the UK goverment thinks they can fix the paperwork issue related to them CHOOSING to leave the customs union combined with the impossibility of a hard border on Ireland by having lorries stuck in a tunnel rather than in a ferry.
@@gerbenvanessen It's a poor substitute for actual constitutional change. We need to devolve powers in England to Regional Assemblies and reform our electoral system to be more representative.
You forgot to mention that tunnelling would be throught hard igneous rock in the North Channel as opposed to soft sedimentary rock in the English Channel Tunnel. And the rail link from Stranrar to Glasgow is a single track with speed limitations similar to those on railways in North Korea.
What you didn't mention is that the Channel Tunnel is built through the ideal type of rock for tunneling, Chalk marl which is soft yet watertight. The North Channel is much harder, probably requiring drill and blast techniques (great idea with explosives on the seabed above!) so would be much more like the Seikan tunnel to build, and that one took 18 years.
A project connecting two members would still have received a massive amount of funds. These type of infrastructure investments are at the top of the spending priority. Other countries on important intra-EU transport routes, e.g. Austria, use that quite effectively to their advantage
@@kevinkrammer8077 EU funding 🤣🤣🤣 You do know EU get their money from member states and the UK was the second biggest net contributor to the EU so that money would have been ours anyway
@@chrisklitou7573 As you said, a wasted opportunity to get money invested in UK infrastructure. Any EU funding would have been made up of about 9% "UK money returning to the UK" and 91% money from other members.
A high speed link from Edinburgh to Belfast would definitely increase the number of passengers using it. Fact is, a tunnel that long under the sea can only be a rail tunnel.
@@hairyairey it’s been a long time since I’ve seen that movie but it’s true. The reason why those two points aren’t as developed may be because there’s no physical link and if there were to be one, people will use it
@@dazza2350 the EU hasn't failed on vaccination, it's just behind the UK which happens to have multiple local vaccination sources, so that 'failure' is almost the entire world from that rather shortsighted perspective, a f up with irish diplomacy occured but the border never closed & it didn't magically turn everybody who was pro eu anti eu overnight, it was mostly just bluddy stupid and very embarissing for the EU
why do you think ireland reuniting is more likely to occur first ? scotland's path to independence is far far simpler to NI's path to ever becoming one nation with Eire, nobody's fought & died over scottish independence in recent history & the people dying in NI weren't simply all irish republicans trying to make their nation one.
It costs 4 times less per mile to dig a tunnel now than it did in 1988, plus it will be a smaller tunnel (the Channel Tunnel is technically 3 tunnels), so essentially it can be done for a quarter the cost of the Channel Tunnel.
The 25 mile long tunnel underneath the Irish Sea is only a fraction of his problem. I stay in Dumfries about 75 miles East of Stranraer where the ferries used to depart from (now a few miles up the road in Cairnryan). But it would require turning the A75 the main trunk route between the M74 motorway & the South West coast of Scotland into dual carriageway and that will at least 5+ years and cost many £billions on top of the Irish Tunnel itself.
I don't think anyone in Scotland would even vague consider this a positive thing, a massive waste of money in a desperate attempt to keep a failing union together.
@Tuifitilike it or not, based on current predicted numbers its a very real possibility. That has nothing to do with anything Sturgeon has said. As for my opinion on the matter....I dont give a flying F. Of all political issues I am concernet about and Scottish independance doesnt even rank on that list as it will jave such a small insignificant impact. Any country wanting independance has the ability to succeed. It ultimately comes down to the government and the people. Yes short term they will be wprse off but now after Brexit and globalisation as a whole....they have the ability to succeed. Just look at the Celtic Tiger from where Ireland was in the 90s to now. The question is, can Scottland afford to stagnate for 60 years and hope someone gets their act together to actually grab tje cointry by its balls and not only know but do what needs to be done to succeed?
@Tuifiti the Scots believed they were better with the EU and their opinion was disregarded, why should Scotland remain with the UK when it's stronger in Europe?
MLGDarb Because he is an ignorant English person.And exactly how would building a tunnel stop Scottish independence ? what a stupid insipid statement to make.
Dumfries and Galloway local authority currently have a long term plan to support the re-instatement of the Dumfries-Stranraer rails, which also used to have a branch past Cairnryan #1 and along Cairnryan #2 pier. Next step to realise that the differing rail gauges can be ovecome with the Talgo system. There is another tunnel needed for gas and electricity interconnectors. Seabed routes have their own problems, one of which was the over a thousand phosphorous incendiary devices on North Channel shores.
Relative to the channel tunnel is seems stupid, but this is about costs vs benefits of THIS tunnel, perhaps (despite being relatively small) the amount of benefit will exceed the cost
Going to be funded by the conservatives ripping off poor people again I presume. But seen as it might reduce the chance of Scottish independence (I doubt it will) then that's probably why the Tories want it
And you think this will be cheaper? Basic premise: the tunnel will be run initially at a loss by a publicly funded company to force the ferry companies out. Once achieved, the company will announce mounting debt and be sold on to private interests - mostly Tory backers - for a pittance and the prices will shoot up.
@You're Wrong Fascist If driving is an option would be cheaper, if it was like the channel tunnel on a train, yes it will probably be expensive but it will untimately drive down the price of ferries as it will provide a quicker alternative. Either way it's good.
@@DS9TREK Thank god he did. While the bridge was a cool idea by Joanna, it really kind of was just a big waste of taxpayer money, so Sadiq putting it towards fixing other problems in London is the good ending to it I think.
What on earth for... Mind you when Northern Ireland and Scotland are independant it might actually be helpful interms of having the choice of more ports and shipping to and from the E.U. and completely by passing England...!!
Only factors in favour are Johnson's vanity, cf projects mentioned in video, and contracts for cronies from drawing up feasibility studies, proposals, enquiries, applications, and, perhaps building. Vast additional expenditure to upgrade connections from Stranraer to rest of GB is more cash for cronies. Isn't there a deep water channel they'd have to duck under?
Johnson managed to blow 22 Billion pounds on the completely inept Track and Trace system in just one year. It's an App with a database. with the cost of the Channel Tunnel in today's money being 17 Billion for comparison, Imagine how much Johnson would spend trying to build a 2nd one.
It won't happen. It's a deadcat intended to temporarily placate unionists and divert public attention away from the unmitigated fuck-ups that are Brexit and our Covid outcome.
The biggest difference with building this tunnel is that contractors will not be drilling through chalk but much harder rock. The cost will be much higher than you propose and the timescale will considerably longer, even if drilling from both ends simultaneously.
HOPEFULLY just because of incompetence and obsolescence from the point of inception. Though I wouldn't put it past a Boris plan to kill at least a few hundred so he can blame them for its failure.
4:05 you've missed a type of train, there are through freight services run by DB Cargo UK I think that don't carry lorries. They go from areas in the UK to the yard just outside the tunnel where locomotives are sometimes switched before heading on to Europe. This usually happens if the train arriving has a diesel locomotive pulling it, as no diesel locomotives can go through the tunnel under their own power. Here's a problem with the Irish Sea tunnel; trains on either side use different rail gauges. However there is a solution, and Spain seems to have mastered the art of gauge-changing trains.
I really struggle to see the Scottish Government approving of this astronomical waste of money in the worst recession since records began. How about spending £18,000,000,000 on schools, social housing, welfare, local rail infrastructure, the green economy???
I struggle to see how this tunnel will be any different to ferries. If a company based in Belfast wants the ship something to London, they’re not going to bother with it, they’ll just get a ferry to Liverpool
They could use rail the entire way. Also why on earth send goods to London? This project would be linked to Northern freeports and industrial investments. London is just an expensive distraction.
@@mbak7801 it seems unnecessary. It will only service trade going to and from Northern Ireland (which is not that much). It doesn’t benefit Scotland or England much at all
The likelihood of a unified Ireland is still really low, I am not taking a side or expressing my opinion on this but after the bloodshed before and state of politics now it’s unlikely.
(Sadly it seems I need to edit this to prefix this comment to say - "this is a Joke!, laugh you fools") By the time its finished, it will be a great transit link between an independant Scotland in the EU and a united Ireland in the EU avoiding crazy ol England that currently sits in the way
@@rogink well clearly i don't, i simply refer to how freight to Ireland now doesn't go through England and Wales but instead via ferries direct to Ireland o avoid customs check. In the scenario I described you could take that route to avoid customs check crossing England.
@@dafyddgiddins9861 "freight to Ireland now doesn't go through England and Wales"? I take it you mean freight from Europe to Ireland? Direct seafreight is miniscule. There's probably more direct air freight. As for moving goods between Ireland and Scotland, as the video explained - there are ferries now. In the unlikely event Scotland becomes independent - then, even more unlikely, joins the EU - goods can still be ferried from Larne to Cairnryan.
Scotland wont be part of the EU.. it cannot meet the financial tests required to join the EU. When it even if it leaves the uk it will loose its 2k per extra grant that UK pays and its fiscal position would worsen from its point today. The EU does not want scotland.i am english and fully support an independent scotland because England pays from english taxes the ridiculous devolved powers. If scotland wants independence then get the english to vote for it The english want scotland out of the union.
One issue if this is a railway tunnel, there is an issue with the different railway gauges. In Great Britain, most trains use standard gauge, which is 4' 8 1/2" or 1435 mm. Most railway in Ireland, both north and south, use Irish gauge, which is 5' 3" or 1600 mm. This would make through running rail service impossible unless railroads in Ireland are rebuilt.
As an Engineer i would aprove this project. But their are several non enginering questions to be asked about this project. -Would the public of Northern Ireland and Scotland be served by this tunnel? -Is the daily operation and upkeep of that tunnel bigger then the earnings? - Is it an infrastructure project that can stimulate development and prosperity of both Regions? - Could the money better be spend on another project for both Regions? If the Tunnel is built a HST/overnight sleeper train Dublin-London vice versa is a possibility.
I guess it would be nice to bring the Celtic nations of Scotland and Ireland closer together when Scotland goes Indy and Ireland reunifies I suppose...
There isn't going to be any second referendum. That's it. It's how the law works. I have no idea why the media keep up with the disinformation about it. .
@The505Guys No. historically it’s a Celtic nation, with its own language similar (very similar, almost mutually intelligible) to the Irish language. The Germanic influence comes from England, much like Ireland who could also be called Celtic-Germanic, but historically, traditionally and indigenously, Scotland is a Celtic nation.
Scotland has nowhere to go. The EU does not want them as a member, they would not qualify anyway in terms of joining criteria - which is exactly why they are not wanted. It is Nicola's fever fantasy... If Scotland could leave, which they cannot, they would be the 3rd world country that they are without support from England. 70% of Scotland's trade is with the rest of UK, so the point of leaving the UK and not even being able to join the EU is exactly what?
![[Vowel]물고기는 물에서 살아야 해🐟🤣Fish have to live in the water #funny](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/3G9MH063Cx4/mqdefault.jpg)
It’s weird seeing my little part of Scotland being mentioned truth is road and rail infrastructure in the region can barely handle the current ferry traffic the investment in this would also need investment in local infrastructure
Yeh, the roads to those ferries are over some awesome mountains, but are not what you might call first rate lorry routes. If they were half way sensible, they would push a heavy goods railway to the ferry port from a major rail junction somewhere in Scotland and load the lorries up at the rail junction onto the railway. I don’t think any of this is going to happen but my two cents.
There is no freight rail to the area that I’m aware of its a single track over the same mountains, the A77 North towards Ayrshire is a costal road with cliffs on one side for a lot of it it can’t become a duel carriageway the A75 towards the Anglo Scottish border runs through so many small towns and Villages and most of the land is hilly and would be difficult to be built on
@@matthew7867 that was a “fun” drive even in a mini. I have to imagine the tunnel just keeps going under land for a significant distance to clear those costal mountains.
@@francesconicoletti2547 which would make it even more time and money consuming.
Yes mat These politicians have definitely not seen the road journey from Stranraer to Gretna Green LOL
Are the areas of natural beauty it has to pass thru , No benefit at all the southern Scotland just thousands of heavy lorries on their way to the UK and Europe
We are awaiting the announcement of the CANZUK-connect-tunnel.
“90 minutes from New York to Paris, undersea by rail.” Donald Fagen, “International Geophysical Year”.
Now that's a tunnel
we can just temporarily unconsensually occupy iceland, Greenland is just polar bears right? We will need Hawaii back as well
@@nevreiha
Go for it. That’s what I call a perspective and political foresight.
🤣😂😆😜
They had a Uk- Australia tunnel in that Total Recall remake, went as well as you'd expect.
Next up: Bozzer is going to build a tower from Scotland to the moon.
Sounds a bit more cost effective, more people would want to visit the moon, lol.
The term you are looking for is "Sutherland Spaceport". In Scotland.
Johnson building a tunnel from Ireland to Scotland. He couldn’t even build a bridge from London to London
🤣
Several Bridges in London are still needed further east than the Tower Bridge . one to replace the crowded blackwall tunnel and another one to replace the ferry line further east !
@@Nicolas-qb3yg There's loads spare in west london, you can borrow one if you want.
@Zuul Gatekeeper It was a poor excuse for a bridge. It linked the popular south bank to a part of the north bank that no one had any interest in going to and the corporate interests would have seen it closed to the public more often than it was open.
😂😂
just a note, for this tunnel is that the water level between those points is 100-150 metres in depth, while the channel depth is only about 40-50 metres
True, but that could mean a gradient of less than 1 in 100, modern main line railways are built to handle much steeper gradients, so that isn't necessarily a problem. However water pressure is much greater at that depth, so the tunnel tubes may need to be built to withstand greater pressures if there is any chance of encountering water on the tunnels route.
It’s a similar idea to the Seikan tunnel in Japan, with a depth of --200 Meters, so it’s definitely doable in theory
Just more Boris Bullshit. Also didn’t mention that the rock is a lot harder than round the Channel tunnel. Still, it would be nice of the English government to join a newly independent Scotland, with a re-united Ireland, both within the EU again.
There is a deep trench in the middle, 3 km wide, 300m deep. In this trench is masses of dumped ammunition’s, explosives, chemical weapons and other military equipment.
@@rogngarden Does everything have to be interpreted as party political? If it does, lets try a different approach, how would you feel if the tunnel was proposed by the Labour Party or the SNP? What would you see as its pros and cons then?
Speaking as someone who drives to and from Ireland at least a couple of times a year. I’ve never been on the ferry and the hold not been full of cars/freight, I think this could be a really good idea. A more reliable way to transfer people and goods between Northern Ireland and Britain, this would maybe even increase the volume of goods moving between the Islands as it wouldn’t be held to ransom by the weather.
It might even get some baldly needed infrastructure put into the South West of Scotland.
It will e handy when Ireland reuniting and Scotland rejoining the EU we will not have to travel and transport goods to and from the EU without going through England
@PureBredCeltic It'll help Northern Ireland and Ireland also other bits of UK transfer things from each other more easily especially the north and from Europe main land to Ireland instead of by seas all the time. Another thing Western Ireland i believe is closer to The America's which would be easier for the UK to transport things
I don't know how Northern Ireland and Ireland feel being snaffled by Europe main land more? It'll be in the works sometime I'm sure, I hope The Irish and Northern Ireland will stop turning away from The UK we need each other
'Between Northern Ireland and the UK' - watch out, guys. People have been kneecapped for less.
I thought it was also weird that they put a Union Jack on NI instead of the Ulster Banner if they were gonna list all the nations (8:20), but I learnt that the Ulster Banner isn't actually official like the flags for Wales, Scotland or England are. The only official flag for NI is the Union Jack...
Which now leaves me wondering why NI is the only nation that does NOT feature the Union Jack on their driver licences 😂
Hang on what!? TLRD said “between Northern Ireland and the UK” I must have missed threat part..
@@noodlyappendage6729 It's at 6:05
@@counterleo ''Which now leaves me wondering why NI is the only nation that does NOT feature the Union Jack on their driver licences''
Because it would be divisive.
@@johnthefinn TLRD are a joke. And they call themselves unbiased news.. 🤨
As someone who lives in Northern Ireland, the idea of being able to jump on a train and head over to Scotland sounds like a great idea. How practical it would be?
It won't happen.
@Logos of Game How does being able to jump on a boat and head over to Scotland sound to you?
Impractical, one, there,s a deep channel between Northern Ireland and Scotland,two, all the munitions left over in 1945 were dumped into that trench,those munitions will still be viable!!! Has no one considered that?
I know this is stupid but as someone living in Dublin I really want this so that I have the hypothetical option of driving to China..
(not to be this guy but subscribe to my channel for music and other things)
Dell logistics rely on a train link from Xiamen to Belgium, so who knows?
When this tunnel is finished you can technically travel by train to Singapore
I mean... you have car ferries so you can do this already.
@@mrdisco99 well yes but I don't have a car :(
When the Chunnel was finished but before it opened, a group tried driving from London to New York.
It’ll be hilarious if the UK pays for this thing and then both Scotland and NI secede.
Exactly my thoughts.
Clearly a soyboy leftist who is unaware neither NI nor Scotland want to secede
@@Daniboi971 which one? The U.K. would be pretty similar in wealth with both seceded
Its SNP policy to maintain the Common Travel Area even after secession, and I'd assume in the event of secession the UK gov would demand access to the tunnel it paid for, they'd be pretty dumb not to 😋
Johnson linking an independent Scotland and a United ireland together 😀
Boris wants to build a tunnel from Scotland to NI, but couldn't manage to build a bridge from London to London.
This is the man who hopes to electrify all transport in the UK in the 2030s..........
Boris being behind a project should be enough to make anyone run away from it.
Boris is the best PM we have had for 60+ years ..... Now I admit that is not saying much we deserve much stronger leaders but still.
@@alistairbolden6340 lol
Wouldn't touch it with a ten foot barge pole as the saying goes lol what an F ing joke
Just like how the Eurotunnel has helped bypass customs and kept us really close to Europe, right?
Eurotunnel was opened pretty much at the point just before Britain began to diverge from the continent - after John Major passed the Maastricht Treaty, but before Britain opted out of the shared currency.
Small price to pay for cheaper brie
Ouch!
@@alexpotts6520 so was is causal to divergence or irrelevant ? Because you can drop the Scottish Irish tunnel into the same pattern. It will either cause more divergence between Britain & Ireland or it will be irrelevant to the process. It’s not physical infrastructure that is causing the increase in xenophobia, except possibly by allowing people to be scared in the streets by people different from themselves, delivered by said infrastructure.
@@francesconicoletti2547 No causality implied, my point was more "this won't make any difference either way"
"feb 15 2020 to feb 16 2020" damn that was a fast year
That s my nighmare, we re living 2020 all over again.
not 2020 again we had enough with the first one
Yeah, haven't seen the news since last Feb. Did I miss anything?
Passanger
I think a rail link would be an amazing thing. I'd love to go to Waverley station and see link to Belfast and Dublin. However, I'm reminded that Boris was unable to get a bridge (never mind a tunnel) from London to... London, so while he may have more of the purse strings to tangle himself in now, I don't see this happening within his watch.
i think its one of those would be cool but can't see the UK Government spending that kind of money to do it even if the Republic contributed a bit plus idk what kind of maintenance works a tunnel would need like ventilation wear and tear repairs but i doubt that will come cheap anyway such a tunnel would cost between 10-20 Billion Pounds and take idk 3-7 years to build there's just so much more they could do with 10 Billion pounds that's why it will never happen
@Andrew Hegarty
"I'd love to go to Waverley station and see link to Belfast and Dublin"?
i wouldn't be holding my breath, were I you...
Sadly, the notion of a seamless railway journey across the North Channel is a non-starter, because the two islands have different railway gauges. Thanks to a decision of the British Board of Trade back in the 19th Century, the island of Ireland operates on the Irish Broad Gauge(1,600mm or 5' 3"), while Britain runs on Standard Gauge(1,435mm, or 4' 8&1/2").
I don't think the Irish government would object if the UK was willing to pay for regauging the island's railway system, mind you....
There used to be a direct rail line between Stranraer and Carlisle, unfortunately someone decided that it wasn't used enough
If by someone, you mean the potential passengers, then yes.
There used to be lots n lots of direct rail links...Dr.Beeching decided they had to go. Tory government did the dirty.
Imagine building a tunnel between two areas that might just go independent anyway.
A hilarious freebie to the newly independent Scotland and unified Ireland, I'm sure they'd be grateful
they won't because most likely england would ask to get some of the money back, and in the end would never use it. If both go independant at the same time england would have a lot more trouble pressing them into paying but they would still try.
You're the 18 billioth person to write that comment. Please write something more original please.
@@animatechap5176 Well this is the catch 22 isn't it. If Scotland and n Ireland leaves we loose infrastructure we paid for and if we don't build any infrastructure it makes Scotland and N Ireland want to leave. Imo we should at least try to improve relations to maintain the union by these projects, people from England and Wales will still be able to use the tunnel after independence anyway. I think the effect of a physical link from N Ireland to the UK should not be understated.
If they get the infrastructure they get the associated debt for the infrastructure. Low IQ.
Here's an idea: invest just 10% of the billions this would cost into Northern Ireland!
**looks at your pfp**
Ah, I see you're a person of culture!
The problem is they tried that sort of thing with Scotland and we still want to leave
@@duncankelly852 I mean, investment is good for reasons other than electoral bribery
@@alexpotts6520 yea, I was just saying the main reason they did it failed and doing the same for NI probably wouldn't work either
This is an investment in northern Ireland
I mean if we do get a tunnel to N. Ireland, I would probablies try to visit N.I as it's the only UK state I haven't visited yet.
Better hurry up won't be much longer
You don't need to wait for a tunnel, there are other options...
It'd help if you were willing pay £20 billion for a ticket!
So... Actually I'll illustrate my point with what I did. When I went to Northern Ireland it was significantly easier to travel via Holyhead/Dublin.
Just be aware of the brainwashing of people to hate british and the minority of unionist people that are being oppressed by the Sinn Fein/IRA
It's an interesting and a welcome idea
What I'm after is to get a good source of income for my family
@@stephenking3 Bitcoin is a safe and reliable source of income to millions of families.
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@@robertemily1645 You just said it all
1 minute and 20 seconds before the information began, please consider shortening your product plug-ins. Otherwise, great video.
TLDL NEWS too long didn’t listen
It's actually a 30 second ad spot. It's not that bad. What's annoying it how it cuts in the content.
I don't find it that hard to skip... 🤷🏻♂️
Sponsor block is the solution when the content creators don't listen.
@@jackix9710 Never heard of this, thanks
Shame I'm on the app
Boris: finishes building
*Scotland and NI has left the chat*
EU: *SUFFER*
Brilliant mate
No, I think it's very kind of Boris to charitably build infrastructure in what will soon be foreign countries. Just a nice little parting gift...😂
That would be funny
@@duncankelly852 thanks
@@rjfaber1991 England has been doing that for years all over the failed states of Europe. Would have been cheaper to remove the vermin.
Playing politics with taxes. 😔Now this is something that everyone affected should be able to vote on.
Even though the cost would be a lot more, a tunnel fron N Ireland to Holyhead would make more sense to me.
Via IOM?
That would be FAR with a capital F. A tunnel from Holyhead to Dublin would be incredibly convenient for the UK and Ireland, if it were even possible. It would be shorter than one from Wales to Northen Ireland.
A very expensive attempt to shift public opinion against Scottish independence and Irish reunification. It’s hard to swim against the tide...
If they are to do that, then England could debt trap them by making Scotland pay for the building cost and England getting the revenue from every vehicle that pays the toll.
if scotland leaves it's the reverse, another reason for NI to join the EU for economic reasons, it's just an inneficient but helpful infrastructure project at the end of the day, whatever the impetus behind it it's a positive outcome if completed
@@jackjoyce1744 I somehow doubt they'd get away with retroactively forcing a debt on Scotland for something decided in Westminster before the separation occurred.
Edit: Though passing along toll revenue might be plausible.
@@altrag the new English government could skyrocket the toll prices
@@jackjoyce1744 To what end? If they're collecting the tolls then that would simply reduce their income as more people go back to using ferries.. and if they aren't the ones collecting the tolls then they probably wouldn't have any say over the matter anyway. I don't see how that would accomplish much other than biting the thumb just to feel superior while most Scots I imagine would just shrug or at most have a short rant about how terrible England is and they're glad they got out.
Bojo: Oi m8s have a look at my magnificent tunnel blueprint. Going to be a tad bit expensive, but totally worth it
Wales: *curled up and crying in some abandoned coal mine*
😭
Pretty standard tbh
Whats a Wales?
@@jimmyfallon1890 a country within the UK
No longer under the English Empire, providing 17% of Europe's wind and tidal energy, and getting a good price for the one commodity everyone needs - water. Little England dreams of unicorns and blue passports...
This is really waste of resources or funds
If only they could use that fund to invest into cryptocurrency Investment program I believe weekly they will surely benefit from it
And have more money to continue the project, also have enough profit
In cryptocurrency, the perfect time to get in is always NOW.
With the current rise in the bitcoin price, you get to realize so many people are still waiting for the bottom before buying but in reality, there is no bottom until the asset is actually out of it.
Another issue is the bull trap which may cause traders or investors to act on the buy signal and generate loses on resulting long positions
Technically the shortest route possible would connect the Mull of Kintyre to Torr Head - the Irish Sea is only about 10 miles wide there. When you stand at either point, the other side seems amazingly close. But getting to the Mull of Kintyre (or Campbelltown) from anywhere in the UK takes serious time....
Hmm yes, I'm sure it's designed to counter the rise in *Scottish* nationalism.
The location is where the m6 ends, if we want to go to the closest point, you have to construct more motorway.
Hmmm yes, Scottish independence and Irish reunification and Scotland rejoining the EU = a nice road/rail link between Scotland and Ireland to ferries to the EU for trade that bypasses little England. Thanks Boris.
Thank you
And it won't work.
@@chriscohlmeyer4735 assuming that NI is not burned to the ground in six to ten years.
The tunnel would actually encourage a united Ireland and an independent Scotland, as it would connect them together, bypassing England and Wales.
Exactly, haha!
Good point. Bo Jo's idea facilitates better Celtic trade. Wales goes independent and uses ferries at holyhead to Ireland...all in eu customs area.
@@tonyb76 Bet you creamed yourself thinking of that.
@@roman648 who doesn't get turned on by a little pan-celtism 👀👀
I don't think u understand mate. No one in history has voted to be a republic.
The other difference between the Chunnel and Bozo's Burrow is that the Chunnel was built through sedimentary rock (as borne out by the white cliffs of Dover) whereas the rock between Ireland and Scotland is igneous and an aweful lot harder to drill through. Also the French built half of the Chunnel from their side and we met in the middle. It still took over 5 years.
Isn't it interesting he frames the tunnel as being between NI and the UK rather than NI and GB? Shows the mindset of the English when thinking about NI.
There is the issue of track gauge. The Irish railways run on a gauge broader than standard gauge. Dual gauge from the tunnel to Belfast?
Relatively easily fixed from an engineering perspective. Either dual gauge tracks or spanish style gauge switching trains.
Dual gauge would be the most sensible option. It very much depends on how the stops between Belfast and Larne figure in all this, and whether these trains stop at Stranraer, or continue on to a major city. If they only go as far as Stranraer, the most sensible option is to use Irish gauge for the whole thing.
@@talideon Similar to the CT, I think you'd have Freight, Vehicle and Passenger trains. The Passenger trains would be best if they were intercity services from London and Bham via HS2, and Glasgow. I think gauge switching trains in this case are probably the answer - minimising infrastructure costs in NI. Freight and Vehicle transport would be standard gauge. Intermodal Container freight coild be lifted from wide to standard gauge cars on the Larne side.
The Larne Harbour line would need significant upgrading to handle increased capacity, especially the single line viaduct in central Belfast.
Only standard gauge is an option. This would allow freight trains from all over Europe to go through the Eurotunnel directly to NI.
I think with Irish and Standard Gauge having a dual system isn't always workable, as the two tracks would be a little too close (risk of derailment), But not close enough for trains of either guage to run along with either (Finnish - Russian tracks have a 2cm difference but trains of either system can use both with certain speed restrictions).
Whilst this isn't an issue for passenger trains (dual gauge trains common in Spain - high speed standard and local Iberian guages), may be more of an issue for freight. On the grand scheme, this isn't the most technologically strenuous issue.
I'm kind of impressed that the tunnel between UK and France technically took only 6 years. I always thought it must have taken 20 years building alone or something.
some one had a dream to build the tunnel i think the idea was over 100 yrs
according to your opening slide.. only a day passed between Feb 15 2020 (the bridge) and Feb 16 2020 (the tunnel)
love your channel keep it up
So, the question is, how much has this already cost the taxpayer?
Remember, the London garden bridge cost taxpayers £46 Million without a single brick bought or laid...
Billions will be sent to Tory donors I bet.
@@jtbfii you are
Probably right, and in addition to those multi-millions paid our for PPE contracts and the £22 Billion Serco test, track and trace failure.
1:16 if you want to skip all the pin badge crap
Or just use Sponsorblock
@@ifer1280 ye, poor guys, they are just trying to create good content for free
Youre a gent, the constant self promotion is getting cringey
@@aleattorium for free no, video is also filled with youtube ads
@@aleattorium if you feel so strongly go on their patreon
It may be the shortest route, but as already pointed out, the North Channel is a basin (I think trench describes it better) which is over 200 meters in depth in places.
Love your videos and I’ve got a soft spot for all mega projects :)
The crossing will be either hellishly expensive due to the small number of people crossing, or it will run at a loss thus a drain on the exchequer. Overall, a bad idea. I think this is a diversion to distract people from how badly Brexit is going!!
Exactly. The amount of people travelling between NI and the UK would mean this stupid proposal wouldn't turn a profit if it was open for a thousand years.
When you get your vaccine jab, don't forget to thank Brexit and not joining EU vaccines purchase scheme.
@@captainwin6333 isn’t Ryanair a thing? Why are people so obsessed with building a bridge or a tunnel there? Not like there’s such a huge freight transport through that region to justify such an expensive build.
@@yipuhuang8523 you know that the UK purchased the vaccine while under EU jurisdiction, therefor Brexit has nothing to do with this.
It's the oldest integration trick: building roads
The EU will be very thankful for the UK connecting between two island members! Maybe Boris can help the EU connect Cyprus to Greece while he's at it.
Don’t let the Turks hear that!
A tunnel from Wales to Ireland would be much longer and as such so much more expensive. I am sure the EU would be quite happy to chip in to pay for it.
The Irish have invested in port facilities in their east coast ports. These are used by much bigger ferries than those used between England and France. They run from Dublin to Dunkirk and from Rosslare to Cherbourg.
They are in operation now, not 10 years from now, like the ludicrous bridge / tunnel proposals.
BloJo wanting the tunnel is like the captain of the Titanic giving restaurant vouchers to all passengers after hitting the iceberg. A good gesture, but no one is going to be on the same boat not long from now.
The direct rail route between Carlisle and Stranraer was closed decades ago, so you now have to go almost to the suburbs of Glasgow before backtracking south along the coast.
Nobody seems to mention that the railways of Britain and Ireland have different gauges, so you would need a new European-gauge line in Ireland. Not only that, but railway freight between Europe and Ireland would be next to impossible, because of the break of gauge.
While I'm not strictly opposed to the idea I'd rather they direct that funding to the NHS where its needed most.
It's not either/or, though. If you always reject spending because "we should be spending it on something else", you'll never actually spend anything.
The problem is that whenever a single project is ever announced or proposed people often just say the same thing. We will literally get nothing done and lag behind other infrastructure around the world because of the NHS sound bite. At some point we have to do other things too
@@alexpotts6520 There is a limit to what the government can/has to spend, money spent on this vanity project would invariably mean something else that could have received more funding won't.
@@Red1Green2Blue3 There *is* a limit to what government can spend, but we in Britain are nowhere near it. Most western European countries have higher public spending as a proportion of GDP than Britain.
@@alexpotts6520 And? That doesn't address my point that money spent on useless infrastructure is unable to be spent on useful causes.
No one has pointed out that that part of Scotland is hard to get to and v empty. Plus there is the slight issue that the tunnel would need to go a lot deeper. The North Channel can be over 1000ft deep, almost 10 times deeper than the English Channel.
Agree. It was a pretty poor presentation.
I believe that the geology is also very different. Burrowing through chalk is a lot easier that through basalt.
He mentions that it's two hours from the M6 and fairly remote. It's also not _that_ hard to get to, being on both a train line and A road (there's a direct train to Glasgow for instance - or was, the last time I got the Belfast/Stranraer ferry anyway). Clearly it's not exactly convenient though.
(and agreed, not mentioning the depth was an oversight)
@@anonymes2884 the local police will be over the moon if the traffic increases, all those extra vehicles to catch that are a little late for the ferry going a few mph over the limit on country roads
If it proved popular a motorway etc would probs be built near there. Also the channel tunnel was built in the 80s, im sure it would be easier now.
I go to my caravan by the mull of Galloway ( southern most part of Scotland) and I can say that the roads are very narrow and when I went last time the main road to Dumfries was closed and the diverted traffic was on a narrow 1 car track was stuck for what felt like 40 minutes
The track Gauge on the two isiland are different so you'd still have to change trains if you are traveling from Belfast to London or Glasgow.
Not a big problem. The Spanish have trains with bogies that have 'independent wheels' i.e. not connected by an axle. These trains shift between the wider Iberian gauge and the narrower European standard gauge. They do this while they are on the move (at 15 mph) and it take under a minute to change the wheels on an intercity express.
Technically a crossing from the Mull of Kintyre to the Antrim coast would be shorter than this at only 12 miles. Could be an idea if we wanted to connect an even more remote part of Scotland to a remote part of Northern Ireland...
Anyone that has driven through the North ofEngland, crossed the border, onward and past Glasgow, all the way up, along and then all the way back down heading toward and past Campbelltown while rounding all of the glorious lochs and glens (and they are stunning) on single-lane roads often feet away from doom on clear-day, crossing single-vehicle bridges, etc, etc will fill you in on how that simply isn't going to happen. One-breakdown or landslide, which occur frequently, and the route would be £%&$ed. People in Scotland must be pissing their pants laughing at some of the ideas being put forward for this complete and utter financial black-hole of a nonsense.
Yes it’s the shortest distance but it’s more remote than some of the Islands your quickest route to Campbeltown from England is going to ardrossan getting the ferry to arran going to the other side of Arran and getting the ferry to Campbell town like the place isn’t well connected
@@matthew7867 Oh sure that cuts the journey for you and me BUT I can't see it working for ten's of thousands of lorries taking the ferry (both ways) before even getting to/from 'the tunnel' working out very well. It's a nonsense.
@@Tomlinsky I was agreeing with u I was highlighting how it’s 2 ferries to get rid of one :/
@@matthew7867 I do apologise, misread your meaning.
If one upgraded the railway to higher speed, and used HS2 to provide fast London - Belfast, Birmingham - Belfast and Glasgow - Belfast journeys there could be significantly improved benefits.
It would require extending HS2 to Scotland though. A massive project.
Well that does fit in. The snp, despite wanting independence, also want HS2 extended to Scotland. Given that the tunnel would carry freight trains into northern ireland from places in England, then you have to ask if the existing railway, the west coast mainline, up to carlisle, has enough capacity for the existing trains, plus HS2 trains, AND then trains to Northern Ireland? The easy and best solution would be to extend HS2 to Carlisle, then the new railway across to the tunnel. If Scotland then wanted to build a connection/extention of HS2 North from Carlisle, then they can lobby for it. It is all interconnected and builds upon each piece of the very straight forward puzzle.
@@amateurcameraman it's a little more complicated than that I'd imagine. I think the best route for HS2 to Scotland would be through the middle of the North so it can serve Newcastle and Tyne areas well before going up to Glasgow/Edinburgh.
Something such as this would inevitably have to be explored if such a tunnel is given advanced consideration.
The possibility of catching one train from Dublin to London would be fascinating though.
@@Alto53 if they do build this tunnel, i can imagine HS2 being extended north via Carlisle. If this tunnel isn't built, then i can see a case for a choice of different routes north. If they still extend HS2 north via Carlisle, then i think the tunnel plans will be dusted off and looked at again after HS2 gets there...
5:10 " passengers and economic value... won't get anywhere near the use that the channel tunnel does": you're using the wrong tense. It should have been "...that the channel tunnel DID" 😂
bold of boris to assume that scotland will be part of the uk long enough to make this
exactly!
You're the 18 billioth person to write that comment. Please write something more original please.
@@wildsurfer12 At least he hasn’t copy/pasted and then endlessly recycled his misspelt comment, like you have.
I live in Dunragit, inbetween Stranraer and Glenluce (marked on your map). I know the town and the area very well. It has suffered in recent years from the CFP of the EU destroying the fishing fleet and from the loss of the ferries to Cairnryan (which is just a hamlet/small village). The town is absolutely CRYING OUT for investment, along with "Wigtownshire" (the old name for Galloway). I think this would be the main point about the tunnel - bringing in investment and GROWTH to the area. BUT there needs to be a MAJOR upgrade to the A75 FIRST, to at least dual carriageway it, and take it AROUND the two villages it still passes through. And the restoration of the main train line from Dumfries to Stranraer which was ripped out in the 50's.
Sounds like you need genuine investment, not a white elephant.
@@alexpotts6520
Well, bloody ANYTHING! If the "burrow" or indeed the bridge were to be built, it would mean a massive influx of construction workers coming into and using the town. Then there's the publicity for the town it would bring. During the war, there was a very strong mitlitary presence here, with air bases, and a naval port. That all went in the 50's as well. So the construction workers would kind of replicate that.
My main concern would be that once built, people would simply pass through (around) the town to get to/from NI, so Stranraer would still be shunned. It should be a big shining city here, like Seattle - what a waste!
@@alexanderguestguitars3619 Yeah, that is a good point. I used to live in Kent, Dover was an absolute dump if I'm honest. I'm sure the port was good for local business, but that wasn't immediately obvious from just looking at the town.
Considering the time it takes us to build new infrastructure, by the time this tunnel is finished we'll probably be back in the EU
Or Brexit has made the UK such an economic backwater as to fail to generate the traffic needed to sustain the project.
Yeah probably
@@rskb1957 even if the UK, through fairy dust and magic, became a huge economic power house... We'd still fail to generate enough traffic to sustain this tunnel.
It's a shame, the little kid in me wants the UK to have big shiny infrastructure which puts us at the top of Guinness World Records lists (as does Johnson, it seems) but this idea doesn't seem tenable
Or just northern Ireland and Scotland
Scotland will for sure. But hey that gives us acsess to the EU without going to England.
It still doesn't settle the question of where the border will be.
Man, the comment section is empty of Avatar fans, oh well.
*Secret Tunnel!*
Its cause this one doesn't go through any mountains
Yea
0:25 Oh my what a long day its been
This is almost literally the definition of papering over the cracks in our country.
I like how the UK goverment thinks they can fix the paperwork issue related to them CHOOSING to leave the customs union combined with the impossibility of a hard border on Ireland by having lorries stuck in a tunnel rather than in a ferry.
@@gerbenvanessen It's a poor substitute for actual constitutional change. We need to devolve powers in England to Regional Assemblies and reform our electoral system to be more representative.
You forgot to mention that tunnelling would be throught hard igneous rock in the North Channel as opposed to soft sedimentary rock in the English Channel Tunnel. And the rail link from Stranrar to Glasgow is a single track with speed limitations similar to those on railways in North Korea.
What you didn't mention is that the Channel Tunnel is built through the ideal type of rock for tunneling, Chalk marl which is soft yet watertight. The North Channel is much harder, probably requiring drill and blast techniques (great idea with explosives on the seabed above!) so would be much more like the Seikan tunnel to build, and that one took 18 years.
Considering the Ailsa Craig is completely granite it's fair to assume there will be some tough digging.
When you're in a hole you need to stop digging.
Except if you are Boris. Keep going son, keep going get that ditch nice & big nice & deep
Unless it's a tunnel.
Why? He's done it all his life and things keep working out for him.
Sure, why not. I'm sure the EU will appreciate you connecting their future member states NI and Scotland.
The irony is that such a project would have been eligible for massive EU funding while the UK had still been a member
A project connecting two members would still have received a massive amount of funds.
These type of infrastructure investments are at the top of the spending priority.
Other countries on important intra-EU transport routes, e.g. Austria, use that quite effectively to their advantage
@@kevinkrammer8077 EU funding 🤣🤣🤣
You do know EU get their money from member states and the UK was the second biggest net contributor to the EU so that money would have been ours anyway
@@chrisklitou7573 As you said, a wasted opportunity to get money invested in UK infrastructure.
Any EU funding would have been made up of about 9% "UK money returning to the UK" and 91% money from other members.
@@kevinkrammer8077 that's not true UK, Germany and France were the biggest contributors to the EU budget and all got the least amount of money back
A high speed link from Edinburgh to Belfast would definitely increase the number of passengers using it. Fact is, a tunnel that long under the sea can only be a rail tunnel.
“If you build it, they will come.”
@@LoneWolf1493 which is actual a misquote of that movie, but I know what you mean!
@@hairyairey it’s been a long time since I’ve seen that movie but it’s true. The reason why those two points aren’t as developed may be because there’s no physical link and if there were to be one, people will use it
@@LoneWolf1493 A rail link that uses the Spanish gauge changing technology would be perfect.
Considering how much we're struggling with HS2, this just doesn't seem wise...
HS2 is struggling due to land purchases. This would avoid those sorts of issues. Also, as a northerner HS2 is desperately needed.
@@Crazytechnition It's not being helped by the tree huggers either.
I wish, as a Scottish taxpayer, I was seeing any benefit to HS2.
@@thecaledonian7643 'pends on where you want to get to.
@@thecaledonian7643 hs2 will link to endinburgh just with existing rail lines. Cutting journey times from london to edinburgh by an hour.
So when Ireland unites, Scotland can move goods directly to Ireland and join the EU as well. Outstanding move BoJo
That's just won't happen, especially after EU's failure on vaccination, and closing Irish border without consulting Irish government.
@@yipuhuang8523 what
@@yipuhuang8523 we'll see
@@dazza2350 the EU hasn't failed on vaccination, it's just behind the UK which happens to have multiple local vaccination sources, so that 'failure' is almost the entire world from that rather shortsighted perspective, a f up with irish diplomacy occured but the border never closed & it didn't magically turn everybody who was pro eu anti eu overnight, it was mostly just bluddy stupid and very embarissing for the EU
why do you think ireland reuniting is more likely to occur first ? scotland's path to independence is far far simpler to NI's path to ever becoming one nation with Eire, nobody's fought & died over scottish independence in recent history & the people dying in NI weren't simply all irish republicans trying to make their nation one.
I like the idea, but I am in the "not happening camp"
It costs 4 times less per mile to dig a tunnel now than it did in 1988, plus it will be a smaller tunnel (the Channel Tunnel is technically 3 tunnels), so essentially it can be done for a quarter the cost of the Channel Tunnel.
The 25 mile long tunnel underneath the Irish Sea is only a fraction of his problem.
I stay in Dumfries about 75 miles East of Stranraer where the ferries used to depart from (now a few miles up the road in Cairnryan). But it would require turning the A75 the main trunk route between the M74 motorway & the South West coast of Scotland into dual carriageway and that will at least 5+ years and cost many £billions on top of the Irish Tunnel itself.
I don't think anyone in Scotland would even vague consider this a positive thing, a massive waste of money in a desperate attempt to keep a failing union together.
Bruh we get a fancy new tunnel. Don't ruin it for us. We ain't got much
Correct! Why anyone would want to connect with Ulster Loyalists is beyond me.
It links Scotland to Dublin more than NI to the rest of the UK. That would be invaluable if Scotland was to go Independant
@Tuifitilike it or not, based on current predicted numbers its a very real possibility. That has nothing to do with anything Sturgeon has said.
As for my opinion on the matter....I dont give a flying F. Of all political issues I am concernet about and Scottish independance doesnt even rank on that list as it will jave such a small insignificant impact.
Any country wanting independance has the ability to succeed. It ultimately comes down to the government and the people. Yes short term they will be wprse off but now after Brexit and globalisation as a whole....they have the ability to succeed. Just look at the Celtic Tiger from where Ireland was in the 90s to now. The question is, can Scottland afford to stagnate for 60 years and hope someone gets their act together to actually grab tje cointry by its balls and not only know but do what needs to be done to succeed?
@Tuifiti the Scots believed they were better with the EU and their opinion was disregarded, why should Scotland remain with the UK when it's stronger in Europe?
What made you choose to highlight the distance to Manchester and not to Glasgow? 🤔
MLGDarb Because he is an ignorant English person.And exactly how would building a tunnel stop Scottish independence ? what a stupid insipid statement to make.
I think it was to demonstrate the link all the way to England and Wales
Because there's more people south of Manchester than North of Glasgow?
Dumfries and Galloway local authority currently have a long term plan to support the re-instatement of the Dumfries-Stranraer rails, which also used to have a branch past Cairnryan #1 and along Cairnryan #2 pier. Next step to realise that the differing rail gauges can be ovecome with the Talgo system. There is another tunnel needed for gas and electricity interconnectors. Seabed routes have their own problems, one of which was the over a thousand phosphorous incendiary devices on North Channel shores.
Relative to the channel tunnel is seems stupid, but this is about costs vs benefits of THIS tunnel, perhaps (despite being relatively small) the amount of benefit will exceed the cost
Just one question. Who and how is this latest Brexit "pipedream" going to be paid for? Details please!
same way every other government project is funded. are you not aware how the government gains funds?
@@nathanfletcher828 by you commonfolk obviously! Just like that track and trace billions
More BS from Spaffer Johnson. Its got people talking so whats he covering up this time?
@@nathanfletcher828 I know, through our taxes! Maybe BoJo finally found the legendary money tree while riding on his unicorn!
Going to be funded by the conservatives ripping off poor people again I presume. But seen as it might reduce the chance of Scottish independence (I doubt it will) then that's probably why the Tories want it
Love the idea. Ferries to Ireland are too expensive!
And you think this will be cheaper?
Basic premise: the tunnel will be run initially at a loss by a publicly funded company to force the ferry companies out. Once achieved, the company will announce mounting debt and be sold on to private interests - mostly Tory backers - for a pittance and the prices will shoot up.
2018 last time i went over and it was less than 70 quid return on the motorbike, compare that to 200 return for IOM in 2016
@You're Wrong Fascist I know, but it's not the English Channel...
Plus this proposed tunnel will involve driving through which is different.
@You're Wrong Fascist If driving is an option would be cheaper, if it was like the channel tunnel on a train, yes it will probably be expensive but it will untimately drive down the price of ferries as it will provide a quicker alternative. Either way it's good.
I know, so how about they just subsidise NI-GB travel, that will surely cost a fraction
Because his London Bridge plan was such a roaring success!
He's such a bargain bucket Victorian.
Khan killed the garden bridge, not Boris.
@@DS9TREK Thank god he did. While the bridge was a cool idea by Joanna, it really kind of was just a big waste of taxpayer money, so Sadiq putting it towards fixing other problems in London is the good ending to it I think.
another difference between the proposed tunnel and the Chunnel is that the rock to be bored thru is hard igneous rather than softer sediment
What on earth for... Mind you when Northern Ireland and Scotland are independant it might actually be helpful interms of having the choice of more ports and shipping to and from the E.U. and completely by passing England...!!
What? Freight would still have to drive through England to get from Scotland to France you egit.
0:24 so the editor too has the no-new-year syndrome
Lmao
4:31 also the "couldn't be bothered to hire a proofreader" syndrome.
Excellent news! Good job Boris and I look forward to using it 🙂👍
Only factors in favour are Johnson's vanity, cf projects mentioned in video, and contracts for cronies from drawing up feasibility studies, proposals, enquiries, applications, and, perhaps building. Vast additional expenditure to upgrade connections from Stranraer to rest of GB is more cash for cronies. Isn't there a deep water channel they'd have to duck under?
Seems like the kinda last-ditch effort a married couple would try just before the divorce.
Johnson managed to blow 22 Billion pounds on the completely inept Track and Trace system in just one year. It's an App with a database. with the cost of the Channel Tunnel in today's money being 17 Billion for comparison, Imagine how much Johnson would spend trying to build a 2nd one.
It won't happen. It's a deadcat intended to temporarily placate unionists and divert public attention away from the unmitigated fuck-ups that are Brexit and our Covid outcome.
The biggest difference with building this tunnel is that contractors will not be drilling through chalk but much harder rock. The cost will be much higher than you propose and the timescale will considerably longer, even if drilling from both ends simultaneously.
great idea, obviously not going to rival the volume of the chunnel, but would stimulate the regions a lot
A future Well There Is Your Problem episode in the making.
HOPEFULLY just because of incompetence and obsolescence from the point of inception. Though I wouldn't put it past a Boris plan to kill at least a few hundred so he can blame them for its failure.
Ah, there's no magic money tree, except when Boris wants a new shiny thing
0:25 - you forgot to make it Feb 2021 on the "one year later" graphic. Although it does still feel like 2020.
4:05 you've missed a type of train, there are through freight services run by DB Cargo UK I think that don't carry lorries. They go from areas in the UK to the yard just outside the tunnel where locomotives are sometimes switched before heading on to Europe. This usually happens if the train arriving has a diesel locomotive pulling it, as no diesel locomotives can go through the tunnel under their own power. Here's a problem with the Irish Sea tunnel; trains on either side use different rail gauges. However there is a solution, and Spain seems to have mastered the art of gauge-changing trains.
0:23 I agree, last 2020 should not count ^^
We got to that point where a year is like a day. It's coming soon!
HS2 was a great idea and it's really good that it has started last year, but this link is a pure madness.
@@Oobido So you've never met anyone who knows anything about rail transportation in your entire life? That's kinda sad :P
H2S a monument to waste/
I really struggle to see the Scottish Government approving of this astronomical waste of money in the worst recession since records began. How about spending £18,000,000,000 on schools, social housing, welfare, local rail infrastructure, the green economy???
I struggle to see how this tunnel will be any different to ferries. If a company based in Belfast wants the ship something to London, they’re not going to bother with it, they’ll just get a ferry to Liverpool
They could use rail the entire way. Also why on earth send goods to London? This project would be linked to Northern freeports and industrial investments. London is just an expensive distraction.
@@mbak7801 it seems unnecessary. It will only service trade going to and from Northern Ireland (which is not that much). It doesn’t benefit Scotland or England much at all
I like the idea of the UK funding a tunnle to connect the by then independent Scotland and unified Ireland. :-)
There will never be a unified Ireland, over Ulster's dead bodies there wont.
The likelihood of a unified Ireland is still really low, I am not taking a side or expressing my opinion on this but after the bloodshed before and state of politics now it’s unlikely.
(Sadly it seems I need to edit this to prefix this comment to say - "this is a Joke!, laugh you fools") By the time its finished, it will be a great transit link between an independant Scotland in the EU and a united Ireland in the EU avoiding crazy ol England that currently sits in the way
If you think England is somewhere between Scotland and Ireland god help you!
@@rogink well clearly i don't, i simply refer to how freight to Ireland now doesn't go through England and Wales but instead via ferries direct to Ireland o avoid customs check. In the scenario I described you could take that route to avoid customs check crossing England.
@@dafyddgiddins9861 "freight to Ireland now doesn't go through England and Wales"? I take it you mean freight from Europe to Ireland? Direct seafreight is miniscule. There's probably more direct air freight.
As for moving goods between Ireland and Scotland, as the video explained - there are ferries now. In the unlikely event Scotland becomes independent - then, even more unlikely, joins the EU - goods can still be ferried from Larne to Cairnryan.
Scotland wont be part of the EU.. it cannot meet the financial tests required to join the EU. When it even if it leaves the uk it will loose its 2k per extra grant that UK pays and its fiscal position would worsen from its point today. The EU does not want scotland.i am english and fully support an independent scotland because England pays from english taxes the ridiculous devolved powers. If scotland wants independence then get the english to vote for it
The english want scotland out of the union.
@@rogink I'm amazed that you haven't yet figured out that I was being facetious with my "suggestion".
One issue if this is a railway tunnel, there is an issue with the different railway gauges. In Great Britain, most trains use standard gauge, which is 4' 8 1/2" or 1435 mm. Most railway in Ireland, both north and south, use Irish gauge, which is 5' 3" or 1600 mm. This would make through running rail service impossible unless railroads in Ireland are rebuilt.
As an Engineer i would aprove this project.
But their are several non enginering questions to be asked about this project.
-Would the public of Northern Ireland and Scotland be served by this tunnel?
-Is the daily operation and upkeep of that tunnel bigger then the earnings?
- Is it an infrastructure project that can stimulate development and prosperity of both Regions?
- Could the money better be spend on another project for both Regions?
If the Tunnel is built a HST/overnight sleeper train Dublin-London vice versa is a possibility.
I guess it would be nice to bring the Celtic nations of Scotland and Ireland closer together when Scotland goes Indy and Ireland reunifies I suppose...
There isn't going to be any second referendum. That's it. It's how the law works. I have no idea why the media keep up with the disinformation about it. .
@Flying goat Yourda Ah we are bestos now.
@Flying goat Yourda Can’t speak for Scotland but Ireland is doing just fine. Only economy in Europe to report growth in 2020.
@The505Guys No. historically it’s a Celtic nation, with its own language similar (very similar, almost mutually intelligible) to the Irish language.
The Germanic influence comes from England, much like Ireland who could also be called Celtic-Germanic, but historically, traditionally and indigenously, Scotland is a Celtic nation.
Scotland has nowhere to go. The EU does not want them as a member, they would not qualify anyway in terms of joining criteria - which is exactly why they are not wanted. It is Nicola's fever fantasy... If Scotland could leave, which they cannot, they would be the 3rd world country that they are without support from England. 70% of Scotland's trade is with the rest of UK, so the point of leaving the UK and not even being able to join the EU is exactly what?
Wait, assuming it gets built. Will there be border checks at each end ? Technically it should.
The ferry between NI to Scotland is always full of passengers so were did you get info
this would make my trips home really easy, so i'd hope something like this is made. (hopefully it's used for travel as well as customs)