Harwich - Rotterdam would revolutionise the freight industry. It's the best part of 150 miles though, so dont hold your breath.
Stranraer to Northern Ireland would work too.
Disagree on both Im afraid. Would a tunnel under the North Sea revolutionise the freight industry? Unless of course you are suggesting a Shuttle service under the tunnel as well? If not, I expect most freight that wants to go via the railways, is already going via the Channel Tunnel.
If you are suggesting a Shuttle Service, I plant it in the same park as the North Channel, for reasons why it wouldnt work.
Open a railway tunnel and Shuttle service under the North Sea or North Channel, and you kill off the ferry service. Neither has the amount of traffic to warrant both tunnel and ferry, unlike the English Channel. Close the tunnel for whatever reason for a prolonged period (another fire), and how does traffic flow? It doesnt. Very rare, admittedly, but still a loss of flexibility.
Also what about the drivers that use the North Sea crossing to get in their required rest? What about the large numbers of drops (unacompanied freight) that cross the North Sea? Unless, unlike the Channel Tunnel, you intend to offer an unacompanied service? Both of these would be hugely inconvenienced, as they no longer have the option of the ferry service that has just been killed off.
Then of course, there is the possibility the North Sea tunnel could have a detrimental effect on jobs and the Irish Sea. Stena Line make money on the North Sea, but not on the Irish Sea. What if they decide to pull the plug on their whole UK operation because they no longer have any routes making money? OK so Irish Ferries will take up the slack, but you will still see a massive redundancy list. Plus Irish Ferries do wonders for employment in the Phillippines, but less so in the British Isles.
Anyway, all of this is nothing. The biggest reason, is the fact there just isnt the required traffic on either route to warrant the stupendous building costs in the first place. About 4 or 5 sailings a day Harwich to Rotterdam/ Hook Van Holland. Doesnt really compare favourably to the 60/ 70 daily crossings Dover had at its height. OK so you may kill off ferry crossings further up, say from Killingholme. You may attract a bit of extra freight/ passengers that werent there, and you may take some passengers off the airlines (although that will happen anyway with Eurostars new service to Amsterdam), but thats still nothing in comparison to the Channel Tunnel, and even then, you wouldnt attract all the freight from the ferries. A lot of it would just head straight down the motorways to the Channel Tunnel. If the luxury of the Harwich sailings arent there, and tunnels are the only options, a lot will find the Channel Tunnel is quicker. Much better connections, and quicker roads.
The North Channel is probably a slightly better bet, but still not enough traffic. Perhaps enough to keep the tunnel open, and to keep the service running, but never enough to warrant the construction in the first place.
Nope, neither option is that good, and neither will particularly revolutionise transport in the area.
