Chief Minister backs inter-island tunnel study

Thursday 30 January 2020

Jersey's Chief Minister has agreed to an initial study into £2.6billion proposals for an underwater rail tunnel to Guernsey – but it's not clear who will pay for it.

The man behind the project, Guernsey businessman Martyn Dorey, will be meeting the Council of Ministers in early February to discuss the project further.

If successful, Mr Dorey says the groundbreaking project would enable islanders to travel the 44km route between St. Peter Port and St. Helier in just 15 minutes, with a stop-off at Jersey Airport on the way.

Pictured: The project could enable islanders to travel the 44km route between St. Peter Port and St. Helier in just 15 minutes.

He has been obtaining technical advice from Danish experts Ramboll, who previously advised on a 18km fixed 'immersed' tunnel link across the Fehmarnbelt in Scandinavia and the Queensferry Crossing, which is the world's longest three-tower, cable-stayed bridge.

Earlier this week, Mr Dorey and Ramboll’s Head of Tunnels, Stephen Whitham, presented the case for their £2.6 billion project at a business meeting hosted by the Guernsey Institute of Directors.

The pair called on business leaders to "spread the word" about their proposals and lobby government to support the idea, which they say is needed before they can attract private infrastructure investors to bankroll the 44km rail tunnel between St. Peter Port and St. Helier.

Politicians in Guernsey have so far shown little enthusiasm for the project, with one saying that if he had that kind of money, he certainly wouldn't be spending it on a tunnel to Jersey. 

Pictured: Guernsey businessman Martyn Dorey will be meeting the Council of Ministers on 12 February.

A local government spokesperson confirmed the Jersey and Guernsey’s Chief Ministers have agreed to “an initial feasibility study being conducted by a private company, with no commitments from either island".

“This study, at no cost to the island, would examine the feasibility of such a project, should it be considered in the future,” they added. 

Mr Dorey is due to present an update to the Council of Ministers on 12 February, along with Mr Whitham and bridge engineer, Anne Moloney.

He told Express he is will be presenting a self-funded initial study whilst working to source private funds for a full one.

He explained there were some “chicken and eggs issues to sort out”, as the government would normally lead on full feasibility studies. 

Pictured: Mr Dorey said he is working to source private funds for the full feasibility study.

“We do know that it is unlikely that the private sector will move forwards to provide finance without a Government Guarantee, and it is unlikely the Government will offer a Guarantee without a full feasibility study to support it,” Mr Dorey explained. 

“So, we are feeling our way forwards, and we will be in Jersey to share the vision and what we have learnt so far in terms of what we think is initially economically feasible and what is not, and the economic benefits for the island.”

During his presentation at the Guernsey’s Institute of Directors, Mr Dorey stressed that his project relied on politicians.

"We are not going to get an infrastructure fund to pay for a feasibility study or to invest without a government guarantee," he said. "We will need government support if an infrastructure investor is going to come on board, and they will only do so when that stack of paper is there saying how it works."

"We are looking at a 10% tax rise, and the worst case scenario if we put our fixed link and no one uses it would be a 1.5% tax increase. But I believe you will reach a point where you are reducing tax. This is a solution that will bring tax rates down, and I don’t know of any other plan in the Channel Islands that reduces tax rates."