Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions

Breakthrough on Channel Rail Link is on time and on budget - Prescott
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date 8 June 2000
source Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions
type Press release

note News Release 407

A key milestone in the construction of the Channel Tunnel Rail Link (CTRL) was passed today when Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott attended the breakthrough ceremony of the UK's first high speed rail tunnel.

Speaking at the ceremony for the North Downs Tunnel, Mr Prescott said:

"Some doubted that the Channel rail link would ever be anymore than a pipe dream but this Government is about delivering better transport for the travelling public. We are committed to providing people with fast, safe and reliable transport fit for the 21st century. The North Downs Tunnel is an example of this commitment and has been completed below budget and well within time. It is a key project in Section 1 of the CTRL - the greatest civil engineering project in the UK today.

"But today's breakthrough on the CTRL is more than just a tunnelling triumph, it provides a vision of the future. It will be a major international transport mode integrating Britain's domestic rail and underground services - relieving overcrowding in the South East and regenerating the Thames Gateway by creating at least 50,000 new jobs.

"It's a shining example of a modern transport development - built in partnership with the private sector - with each side doing what it does best. And it's been built on time, on budget and to specification. Partnerships like this are the future of transport infrastructure in Britain."

The North Downs tunnel lies south of Chatham and around halfway along the high speed rail route. At 3.2 kilometres in length, it is Britain's largest rail tunnel and the country's first for high speed rail. Upon completion of the entire CTRL, Eurostar trains will travel through 26km (16 miles) of tunnels between the coast and the new London terminus at Kings Cross St. Pancras.

The full Channel Tunnel Rail Link will slash journey times between London and mainland Europe and bring high speed rail services to Kent with 300kmh (180mph) Eurostar trains running up to eight times an hour each way.

The completion of the 109km (68 mile) high speed rail link will also deliver other benefits including:

a major new transport hub at Kings Cross St. Pancras linking mainland Europe to all of Britain with journey times to Paris down to two hours 20 minutes and Brussels journeys cut to two hours;
new stations at Ebbsfleet and Stratford which will aid regeneration in the Thames Gateway by creating at least 50,000 new jobs;
new high speed domestic trains (up to 8 per hour) serving north and east Kent.
another 10 million seats a year for rail passengers in the south east to relieve overcrowding.
At last month's National Rail Summit 2000, Mr Prescott said the future success of Britain's railways would hinge on a partnership between Government and business. He added:

"Our plans for public transport in the future will depend on Government and industry continuing to work closely together to renew infrastructure which has suffered from years of neglect. This approach will be at the very core of our 10 Year Transport Plan. The CTRL is a first rate example of how transport policies of today will be turned into the transport systems of tomorrow."

NOTES FOR EDITORS

1. The North Downs Tunnel in Kent is a single bore twin track tunnel 3.2km long, 13 metres wide, 10 metres high. It lies to the south of Chatham with its north-western (London) portal situated at the head of the Nashenden Valley and its south-eastern (country) portal located as the tunnel emerges from beneath the chalk escarpment face of Blue Bell Hill. The tunnel passes beneath Blue Bell Hill village at a depth of 90 metres and exits in the Boxley Valley, close to Cossington Service Station - A229.

2. The CTRL is being constructed in two sections. Section 1, which is already under construction, runs from the Channel Tunnel to Ebbsfleet, near Gravesend, Kent, and is due to be operational in 2003. Advanced work on Section 2, which runs from Ebbsfleet through Stratford, East London, to Kings Cross St. Pancras, has already commenced with full construction due to commence next summer. The whole route with both international and domestic rail services is expected to be fully operational in 2007.


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Railhub Archive ::: 2000-06-08 DET-001