SCOTLAND'S Transport Secretary has said work to assess the feasibility of a fixed link between Northern Ireland and Scotland is not a priority for either nation.
Michael Matheson said he spoke with his counterpart at Westminster, Grant Shapps, about UK plans to upgrade transport links but added that devolved governments had not been consulted on Westminster’s Union Connectivity Review.
He said the review is “a systematic attack on the Scottish Parliament’s powers – a power-grab that fundamentally undermines devolution”.
The review by Network Rail chairman Sir Peter Hendy is examining ways to upgrade transport links with some £20 million committed by the UK Government to develop plans.
Hendy has commissioned two engineering professors to lead a study into the feasibility of a bridge or tunnel between Northern Ireland and Scotland, outlining its cost, timescale and the work involved.
READ MORE: 'Early April Fool's' for Boris Johnson over Scotland to Ireland tunnel
Prime Minister Boris Johnson has previously spoken about a bridge connecting Larne in Northern Ireland to Portpatrick in Scotland, but experts have warned against this due to weather concerns likely to force closures for large parts of the year.
The distance between the two points is around 28 miles and the link could cost £20 billion.
Matheson told BBC Radio Scotland’s Good Morning Scotland programme: “It’s not a priority for Scotland, nor for Northern Ireland. I’ve just discussed the matter with Nichola Mallon, who is the minister for infrastructure in Northern Ireland last night, and she reiterated the point it is not a priority for Northern Ireland.
“It’s in my interest to have good transport connectivity with other parts of the UK. But it has to be taken forward in a planned, managed basis, recognising the distinctive nature of the decision-making process in Scotland, as it is in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, rather than it being dictated by ministers in London, who are very remote from our communities and don’t understand the nature of those communities.”
Matheson described the fixed link idea as a "vanity project" for Johnson while roads across Scotland, including the A82 and A96, have already been identified as requiring more investment.
READ MORE: SNP hit out at 'naked power grab' by Tories looking to spend in devolved areas
"What they're looking to do is dictate the terms of what those priorities should be because it suits them to do so. They want us to ignore everything else to just focus on their priorities," he said.
"[This is] about the UK Government, London-based ministers, starting to dictate what the transport investment priorities should be in Scotland, irrespective of the wider needs that different communities across Scotland may actually have."
He added that the Scottish Government had been working with the UK to improve transport links between Scotland and England.
Shapps dismissed suggestions of a Westminster “power-grab”.
He told BBC Radio Scotland: “Quite rightly, transport has been an individual matter for the governments in England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, and that’s fine.
“The only problem is because of that, no-one is really looking at how the different parts of the United Kingdom connect together.
“It’s not a political issue, it’s not about who runs which parts of the United Kingdom, or whether there should be a United Kingdom at all, and obviously I believe there should be a United Kingdom, but either way whether you think there should be or shouldn’t, the important thing is that people are able to get about."
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel