By Lynne Susanne
About the English Channel Tunnel
The English Channel Tunnel connects the UK to France and mainland
Europe. It is used to carry passengers, cars, trucks and freight by rail between the two countries.
Geography
The English Channel is a 180 km body of water between southern England and northern France. The Channel Tunnel is the longest undersea tunnel in the world, linking the towns of Folkstone, Kent in the UK to Coquelles in Pas-de-Calais, France.
History
A tunnel under the English Channel was first proposed by French engineer, Albert Mathieu, in 1802. In 1985, private companies were invited to tender a proposal to build the tunnel; a bid by Eurotunnel was selected by the British and French governments.
Time Frame
The first boring started on the English side on December 15, 1987. The Channel Tunnel was officially opened in 1994.
Size
The Channel Tunnel is really three tunnels, two rail tunnels and a service tunnel. The three tunnels are 50 km long, but the section under the sea is 38 km long.
Features
There are passages connecting the service tunnel to the two rail tunnels every 375 m.
Benefits
In 2007, a new international rail terminal was opened at St. Pancras station in London. The journey on Eurostar from London to Paris now takes just two hours and 15 minutes.
Resources
About the Author:
Lynne Susanne is a British broadcast and Web journalist with over 12 years' experience writing and producing for the BBC. She has an undergraduate degree in history from Reading University, UK, and a postgraduate degree in broadcast journalism from the University of Central Lancashire, UK.
Photo Credits:
© Eurotunnel
