A fixed link between Northern Ireland and Scotland will boost the ports of Belfast and Larne

In response to Ben Lowry, who thinks a bridge to Scotland a distant dream (July 25) and Robert Park and Shane Greer who support it (July 30, 31), the North Channel fixed link is perfectly doable — and necessary.
By The Newsroom
Published 2nd Aug 2020, 06:02 GMT
If there was a bridge to Scotland, Larne port, above, and Belfast port could rival Rotterdam as freight could be landed in them and then be taken directly by train diagonally across UK and into continental EuropeIf there was a bridge to Scotland, Larne port, above, and Belfast port could rival Rotterdam as freight could be landed in them and then be taken directly by train diagonally across UK and into continental Europe
If there was a bridge to Scotland, Larne port, above, and Belfast port could rival Rotterdam as freight could be landed in them and then be taken directly by train diagonally across UK and into continental Europe

(See links to their articles below)

An underrated argument for the fixed link are the strategic importance of Belfast port and Larne port.

The transatlantic routes would be cut. The other day I spoke to some Dutch people connected to logistics around Rotterdam Port and they confirmed that a fixed link would even put Larne and Belfast to rival Rotterdam as freight could be landed in these ports and then be taken directly by train diagonally across UK and into continental Europe.

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A fixed link would increase internal UK trade volumes — and necessitate the reinstatement of the much missed Port Road line in south west Scotland so that freight can go direct from Belfast to London — and continental Europe via Channel Tunnel.

There will be a bigger UK logistics sector as much of the Irish Republic would appreciate being able to load their freight onto trains at Belfast.

Finally may I say that investment in things like more infrastructure as a fixed link will be much more appreciated by blue collar people rather than spending money on more layers of politicians and flunkies that attend to them.

John Barstow, Pulborough, Sussex

• Ben Lowry: ‘The Boris bridge to Scotland plan is a nice dream but a distant one and a distraction from other priorities for unionism and infrastructure’

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• Robert Park: ‘A bridge to Scotland is not just a unionist umbilical project, but a strategic bridge to Europe and to the world’

• Shane Greer: ‘Let’s dispense with lazy criticism of the bridge to Scotland idea and back a proper feasibility study’

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Related topics:Ben LowryBelfastScotlandLarneNorthern IrelandEurope