Catalogue description Ministry of Transport and Department of the Environment: Channel Tunnel Reports

The records consist of reports setting out the feasibility of constructing a crossing of the English Channel. They were created in response to renewed interest in 1960, by British, French and American companies in the construction of an English Channel crossing. Various proposals were forwarded to the British and French governments who responded by setting up a working group to examine two schemes: twin single-track railway tunnels running under the English Channel; a road and bridge crossing running above the English Channel. Two reports were subsequently produced. Between 1972 and 1975 work on a bored tunnel was undertaken at Shakespeare Cliff, Dover but escalating construction costs resulted in the abandonment of the work. In March 1980 the Department of Transport invited further proposals and submissions for schemes relating to a Channel crossing. The reports are of a technical nature relating mainly to construction methods. Some reports are in French.

Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions

Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions

The reports were written by external contractors on behalf of the Ministry of Transport and the Department of the Environment. The following divisions were likely to have been involved in their commission: Ministry of Transport, Nationalised Transport A Division (to 1965); Ministry of Transport, Railways A Division (to 1965); Ministry of Transport, Ports Division (to 1965); Ministry of Transport, Channel Tunnel Group (1965-67); Ministry of Transport, Channel Tunnel Division (1967-69); Ministry of Transport/Department of the Environment, Channel Tunnel Engineering Division (1969-72); Ministry of Transport/Department of the Environment, Channel Tunnel Administrative Division (1969-72); Ministry of Transport/Department of the Environment, Channel Tunnel Studies Unit (1972-75).