:hunnel report out still no decision
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study group, but Transport cretary David Howell stressed,
week that there are still a N problems to be solved bea the two Governments can ,cide whether or not there ould be a link and what form it ould take.
The study group outlined three itions open to the Governants. It could rely totally on the !velopment of existing cross lannel services, construct a ired tunnel or tunnels offering rough rail services and a rail uttle for road vehicles (this is achnically possible" and an rly start would be possible ys the group), or a decision uld be deferred until more Its are carried out on ideas for owing vehicles to drive across a Channel.
The report conclues that, alpugh existing services could developed to cope with the edicted growth in cross-Chan1 traffic, a fixed link would obably offer economic advan)es to outweigh the initial pital investment involved.
The report states that the best heme makes use of bored twin il tunnels with a vehicle uttle. This could be conucted in phases, but such a Dject depends on the ability of 3 market to raise finance on .ms "acceptable" to both Govments.
The question of "financeabil" was not in the terms of referce of the group, but certain 'tish and French banks, includ ing the Midland and National Westmister Banks, have shown an interest in examining the various fixed link schemes.
British Rail, happy to look beyond its short-term dread of its entire system being crippled by a national rail strike, welcomed the report as "another step forward in establishing the case for a fixed Channel link." Its conclusions confirm the view of the British and French Railways that the "most practicable and feasible scheme" is for a bored rail tunnel, said BR chairman Sir Peter Parker.
Ferries could be developed to handle the expected growth in traffic, BR admits, but only a fixed link can provide an improvement in the quality of service, and add to a competitive choice across the Channel.
"The report now presents the opportunity for the financing case to be more effectively discussed, within a timescale which will produce a result by the Autumn," Sir Peter said.
"It was the political will to see better communications with Europe that has brought us so far in developing the case for a tunnel," he continued. "It is important that this determination' at political level should be maintained as the studies reach their final phase."