B3: Boris's Barmy Bridge

[lazybloke]

I remember seeing the candidate bridge schemes prior to the tunnel being selected and built. Bridges were no good then, why now?

Surely there's plenty of spare capacity in the tunnel, especially as it was in dire financial trouble not many years ago with poor passenger numbers and stiff competition.
Yes I can see there has been 21-22% growth in passenger numbers this last decade, but also an 18% drop in coaches and a massive 37% drop in freight train movements.


But I'll vote for a bridge if it includes a cycle superhighway and Boris bikes at either end.

 

[Slick]

I heard one estimate today of 32 billion based on the fact that nearly all public funded projects cost 10 times the initial estimate.

Wait until the clamour starts as to why we have money for this and not to nationalise the railway.

 

[deptfordmarmoset]

Obviously the public-fund wasting private Lumdon Bridge and empty gondola over the Thames weren't aiming high enough. Cackwibble.

 

[lazybloke]

[QUOTE 5121568, member: 259"]It would be truly cool, but utterly unworkable. Isn't the channel the busiest seaway in the world (or at least one of them)?[/QUOTE]
one of the 70s or 80s proposals had a submerged midsection to reduce (but not eliminate) the impact to shipping. That's another few billion.

 

[deptfordmarmoset]

Boris Island?

Oh, I'm in favour of Boris Island provided it would work as his place of exile. (And nowhere near the Thames estuary.)

 

[Davos87]

Up for that. We could get Carillion to build it.

 

[Drago]

I don't think the lovable chubby hedge dweller was actually countenancing a bridge. He was using it to illustrate that there are other ways to connect our island to France that should be considered.

Whether he's right or not is another matter, but I think the media have taken him a bit too literally.

 

[Illaveago]

I heard one estimate today of 32 billion based on the fact that nearly all public funded projects cost 10 times the initial estimate.

Wait until the clamour starts as to why we have money for this and not to nationalise the railway.

Are Carillon going to build it ?

 

[Drago]

Are Carillon going to build it ?

I declare this day Groundhog Day!

 

[lazybloke]

That would be some Strava segment to bag.

Build the bridge in exactly the right place and you'll find Froome is already the KOM.

 

[Drago]

Imagine how many days a year it'd be closed due to high winds or adverse weather? It'd only be open a week a year.

 

[Slick]

Imagine how many days a year it'd be closed due to high winds or adverse weather? It'd only be open a week a year.

Exactly, Richard Bransons shuttle in a tube doesn't sound so stupid now.

 

[gaijintendo]

A bridge to Ireland would make my Donghai. But enough about my perversions.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-23672538

 

[pjd57]

I saw figures for an Orkney bridge years ago.
They were mocked but actually stacked up not too badly if you put the ferry subsidy money into the equation.

 

[Slick]

A bridge to Ireland would make my Donghai. But enough about my perversions.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-23672538

Campbeltown to Antrim would be ace.