The project sounds as wild as it is unrealistic. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has just unveiled a new whim: a bridge linking Northern Ireland to Scotland. A 20 km bridge, with an estimated construction cost of £20 billion (over €23 billion)!
A response to Brexit aimed at preventing Northern Ireland from becoming isolated from the rest of the United Kingdom.
A True Engineering Challenge
Specifically, the bridge would connect Portpatrick, in southwest Scotland, to Larne in Northern Ireland, north of Belfast. Stretching over 20 km, it would be a double-decker bridge (with road and rail for train transport). According to Boris Johnson, it would be an efficient way to facilitate exchanges between Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK.
But the bridge poses major challenges: an artificial island would need to be built on the Scottish side to support the structure. Moreover, the numerous munitions and weapons dumped in the sea at the end of World War II could significantly complicate construction, raising difficult safety concerns.
The project immediately drew smirks from Boris Johnson’s critics and outrage from opponents, accusing him of literally draining public funds for a fanciful scheme.
However, a government source confirmed that the executive is serious about this project. Boris Johnson even said he was inspired by similar bridges built in Nordic countries, such as Sweden, which created a road link between Copenhagen and Malmö.
A Strategic Project to Maintain Control Over Northern Ireland
This colossal bridge project has the advantage of making headlines. Already nicknamed “the Boris Bridge,” it offers Boris Johnson a perfect opportunity to send a strong message. The Prime Minister aims to reassure Northern Ireland by showing that London is not abandoning them post-Brexit.
But also to signal that London rules out any potential reunification of Northern Ireland with the Republic of Ireland, especially as Sinn Féin, a left-wing nationalist party, has just made a major breakthrough in the Irish general elections.
A powerful message that won’t please everyone. Johnson is clear: Northern Ireland is very much part of the United Kingdom and no concessions will be made on the British Province.
