Channel Tunnel Rail Link

Scheme Description

A new high-speed railway between the Channel Tunnel and St. Pancras, with intermediate stations at Ashford and Ebbsfleet in Kent, and Stratford in East London. The railway will allow both international and domestic (Kent commuter) services fast access into St. Pancras station.

An extension to St Pancras station is proposed along with a new station at Stratford. A proposed twin-track connection across the King's Cross Railway Lands to the West Coast Main Line (via the North London Line) would allow linkage for international services with destinations north of London to by-pass St. Pancras, with Stratford Station being the London stop for these services. This gives a saving of 15 minutes, between London and the Channel Tunnel. The link also provides a substantial increase in capacity for domestic rail travel between Kent and London.

In February 1996, London and Continental Railways (LCR) were appointed by the Government to design, build, finance and operate the Channel Tunnel Rail Link. The project has been split into 2 sections to help overcome financial difficulties:

• Section 1 is from the Channel Tunnel to Ebbsfleet, in Kent, where trains will switch onto existing tracks to Waterloo International. Construction started in October 1998 and is due for completion in Autumn 2003.


• Section 2 is from Ebbsfleet, under the Thames, overground to Dagenham and then in tunnel (approximately 30m below ground level) to the Kings Cross Rail Lands. It runs through Islington on the stretch between Kings Cross and Dagenham. Works on this section are now well underway as is the purchase of the sub soil rights for the tunnel under property along the route. Section 2 is currently estimated for completion in 2007 with major works in Islington timed to finish in 2005.
  
  

Union Railways (south) and Union Railways (north) are subsidiary's of LCR and are responsible for the construction of section 1 and section 2 respectively. Rail Link Engineering is the designer and project manger of both sections.

Specific works within Islington

• The CTRL will be in tunnel for almost all its route through Islington. Tunnelling started in May 2003 and was completed at the end of 2004.
  


• The tunnel runs from the east of the borough to Caledonian Road. After it has travelled under Caledonian Road it begins to surface on to the Gifford Street Railway Embankment (between Gifford St and the North London Line). This is known as the London West Portal
  


• From this portal the line is carried over the East Coast mainline on a covered bridge, this required the lowering and diversion of a section of York Way (works in this area will took place from 2001 to 2004, with the bridge being launched at the end of 2003)
  
• A ventilation shaft is nearing completion on land to the east of Corsica Street (near Highbury Corner) works started on this in July 2001 and will last until 2007.
  

Powers and Timetable

The CTRL Act received Royal Assent in December 1996 (its general powers last for 10 years) and powers for the proposed intermediate station at Stratford and the associated twin-track connection to the West Coast Main Line were granted in March 2001.

Islington Council has granted a number of requests for approval of details under Schedule 6 of the CTRL Act. Some of these requests can be expected to be amended, as more detailed work is progressed on this part of the project.

For more information contact:

Union Railways (North) Ltd
2 Ossulton St
London NW1 1HT
24 Hour helpline: 0845 604 0246

CTRL Visitor Centre
Brill Place
Kings Cross
London
Tel: 020 7692 8857

Email: publichelpline@ctrl.co.uk