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Boris Johnson's dream of a bridge between Northern Ireland and Scotland may not be dead after all, according to the expert who appeared to have killed it off.
Network Rail chairman Sir Peter Hendy said a link between Ulster and Britain could be possible in future when new technology like driverless cars is introduced.
Mr Johnson's support for what was branded the 'stupidest bridge in history' was criticised after Sir John's review in November warned that the full route across the Irish Sea could cost as much as £335billion for a bridge crossing and £209billion for a tunnel.
However, addressing MPs today, Sir Peter said the PM's request that such a link be investigated was 'reasonable', and that future tech might mean it could be done.
Appearing in front of the Scottish Affairs Committee he was invited by its Scottish National Party chairman Pete Wishart to criticise the 'quite honestly ridiculous proposal'.
It was recently revealed that two feasibility reports had cost the taxpayer almost £1million.
But Sir Peter replied: 'I have written what I really think about it. It's possible to do it, it is not in excess of modern technology, it’s probably near the edge of modern technology.
'But you notice that I said it out to be reviewed in the future because one of the issues surrounding it, if you look at both or either a bridge or a tunnel, is that the approach gradients are limited by the technology that we have now in respect of railway gradients and the ability of drivers to traverse long-distance roads.
'That may change with autonomous vehicles and it
