Johnson Tunnel Plans: Costs Much Higher Than Previously Known

The estimated cost of Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s plans to build a bridge or tunnel between Scotland and Northern Ireland, which has since been put on hold, is much higher than previously known.

LONDON (AFP) – The estimated costs of British Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s plans to build a bridge or tunnel between Scotland and Northern Ireland, which are now suspended, are much higher than previously known. This comes from a feasibility study published on Friday. According to this, the tunnel between the two parts of the United Kingdom under the Irish Sea will cost up to 209 billion pounds (about 247 billion euros). Even the bridge is estimated at 335 billion pounds (396 billion euros). However, both are technically possible, so the study concluded. So the estimated time for completion may take close to 30 years.

So far, there has been talk of a cost of around £20 billion. Only in mid-September had the British government announced that the plans had been put on hold for cost reasons. Boris Johnson is known for his love of extravagant mega projects. In this case, he was probably also interested in strengthening the unity of the kingdom with a prestigious large project. The Scottish National Party, which seeks independence, remains the strongest political force in part of the country, and in Northern Ireland the special status of Brexit is causing fears of isolation from the rest of the country among supporters of union with the big countries. Britain. (dpa)