A tunnel to the mainland
I've had some good-natured abuse about my inability to come to any view on this matter, given my propensity to have a view on everything else.
Well, the trouble is that I am in three minds about this, and I didn't know which way to jump, so I kept quiet. But I've given it a lot more thought, and I've managed to get my ideas into a fairly coherent order.
Is it a good idea? Yes, undoubtedly it is as it would avoid the cancellation of ferries, and as John Kirriemuir has said there are many great advantages, which he has detailed.
Is it a sensible idea? Yes, especially given the comparison with Norway, where the islands are treated as priorities, and infrastructure is a key part of that process. My visit to the Faeroes last year demonstrated to me the benefits to a small community.
Is it technically possible? I don't doubt it is. The question is whether you drop a pre-formed tunnel on the seabed or drill through the rocks. In the Faeroes they had driven 6km long tunnels through very hard rock and under viscous seas to achieve the joining of the islands.
Is it a good use of Comhairle resources? The Comhairle could never afford to do this, so the tunnel has to be a national infrastructure project, just as the Scottish Executive will pay for the new Forth Bridge. It is a good use of Comhairle resources to scope the project.
Will I use it? This is where it all falls apart for me. I'm not that claustrophobic, but the thought of driving the 40km under the sea leaves me scared. It's not so much the tunnel safety or the tedium, as much as the Lewis & Harris "Sunday drivers" being in front of me and causing an accident. Nor do I particularly want to follow one of Ossian's lorries for all that distance, unless there is a passing lane, or a crawler lane as we start to come to the surface. Now, if this tunnel is actually two dual-carriageway tunnels.
In summary: I'm not ruling it out, but the political will at Holyrood doesn't seem to be there for anything outwith the Central belt. It needs a lot more work, which I think we should pursue, but not hold our breath. It is certainly a very valid ambition, but one that is fraught with problems.
Well, the trouble is that I am in three minds about this, and I didn't know which way to jump, so I kept quiet. But I've given it a lot more thought, and I've managed to get my ideas into a fairly coherent order.
Is it a good idea? Yes, undoubtedly it is as it would avoid the cancellation of ferries, and as John Kirriemuir has said there are many great advantages, which he has detailed.
Is it a sensible idea? Yes, especially given the comparison with Norway, where the islands are treated as priorities, and infrastructure is a key part of that process. My visit to the Faeroes last year demonstrated to me the benefits to a small community.
Is it technically possible? I don't doubt it is. The question is whether you drop a pre-formed tunnel on the seabed or drill through the rocks. In the Faeroes they had driven 6km long tunnels through very hard rock and under viscous seas to achieve the joining of the islands.
Is it a good use of Comhairle resources? The Comhairle could never afford to do this, so the tunnel has to be a national infrastructure project, just as the Scottish Executive will pay for the new Forth Bridge. It is a good use of Comhairle resources to scope the project.
Will I use it? This is where it all falls apart for me. I'm not that claustrophobic, but the thought of driving the 40km under the sea leaves me scared. It's not so much the tunnel safety or the tedium, as much as the Lewis & Harris "Sunday drivers" being in front of me and causing an accident. Nor do I particularly want to follow one of Ossian's lorries for all that distance, unless there is a passing lane, or a crawler lane as we start to come to the surface. Now, if this tunnel is actually two dual-carriageway tunnels.
In summary: I'm not ruling it out, but the political will at Holyrood doesn't seem to be there for anything outwith the Central belt. It needs a lot more work, which I think we should pursue, but not hold our breath. It is certainly a very valid ambition, but one that is fraught with problems.
3 comments:
The "getting stuck behind" and overtaking part should not be an issue.
The Lærdalstunnelen in Norway is 25km long. They have 48 lay-bys (as well as lots of turning bays and several "rest" caverns). The road is double-track anyway.
Mile for mile, stats show that tunnels in Norways are actually significantly safer than open roads. One reason for this is the proliferation of lay-bys and other driver support features in tunnels.
The culture is that if you are holding up traffic, you pull into a lay-by. As there is one every few hundred metres, this isn't a problem for either the slow, or fast, driver.
I've been in that tunnel (oddly, that's the only time I've ever driven). Certainly feels a lot, lot safer than e.g. being a terrified passenger in a car on the A9 in Scotland.
Personally I would like to see every elected politician in Scotland be packed off to Scandinavia for a month to examine their education, health, transport, energy, rural support, taxation, and other systems.
Width: hopefully this picture will put your mind at rest. Double carriageway, dozens of lay-bye's, pull-ins and turning places. No reason to get stuck by anyone.
John,
Can you arrange the visit before May? I am expecting to be hung, drawn and quartered shortly thereafter (if you believe the Gazette), and I think we all have a lot to learn from Norway - at every level.
Thanks for the picture, but am I alone in still finding it creepy? Perhaps a visit to the Lærdalstunnelen is required.
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