The UK Government’s ambition to build a road link between Scotland and Northern Ireland shouldn’t be dismissed out of hand by the Scottish Government according to one local MSP.
Scottish Conservative Brian Whittle believes that the pledge by Boris Johnson to build a bridge or tunnel across the Irish Sea shows the UK Government recognise the importance of strengthening the ties between the nations of the UK and the economic opportunities it could bring.
Although the South Scotland MSP accepts that building such a link would be an enormous engineering challenge, he believes that with or without a road crossing, better road and rail links from the ferry terminals in South Ayrshire to the central belt would have real benefits for communities throughout the area.
His intervention comes after the Scottish Government poured scorn on the proposals, despite announcing they were looking at ways to improve links between Scotland and Northern Ireland, including a bridge, as recently as 2018. Now, the Scottish Government have changed their tune, calling for the billions of pounds that would be invested in the Scotland to Northern Ireland link to be spent elsewhere in Scotland.
Brian Whittle MSP said:
“Like many people, I’m not sure whether it’s possible to actually build a tunnel or bridge between Scotland and Northern Ireland. However, the Scottish Government is making a mistake to dismiss the idea so hastily.
South Ayrshire and the South West of Scotland are in a unique position to benefit most from greater travel and trade between Scotland and the island of Ireland. The UK Government have recognised that and are thinking big when it comes to ways to strengthen this link. That’s more than the Scottish Government have done in decades. And now, when there’s a chance to think about investing possibly billions of pounds in making travel faster and more reliable, they reject it because they don’t like where the idea came from.
Bridge or not, a significant investment in the A77, A75 and local rail links could bring major benefits for local communities and make the ferries from Cairnryan a more attractive option for travelling across the Irish Sea.
I’m prepared to look at anything that brings that investment closer. It’s a shame the Scottish Government don’t seem willing to do the same.”
