Steam builds up on Channel link
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Britain will be sidelined in Europe on "a rusty branch line from Brussels" if the high speed Channel Tunnel rail link is not built, a conference was told today.
Delegates from the public and private sectors gathered in Birmingham to launch the Fast Tracks to Europe Alliance, a group committed to ensuring the rail link stays on track.
National Planning Forum chairman Stewart Stacey told delegates: "If Britain is to be at the heart of Europe, it is neither acceptable that London is on a rusty branch from Brussels nor that our regions are beyond the buffer stops."
The group took action after it was revealed that London & Continental Railways was having difficulty fulfilling the contract to build the proposed pounds 5.4bn route.
The Alliance believes the building of the link and new stations at Ebbsfleet in Kent, Stratford and St Pancras in London will be vital to businesses across the country. It also hopes to secure links from the Channel Tunnel to the West and East Coast Mainline.
The chairman of the Local Government Initiative, Cheshire councillor Derek Bateman, said the project had been mishandled from its inception.
"Changes in route, changes in costs, changes in whether it's public or private sector, changes in the whole rail industry ... the list goes on. I have every sympathy with John Prescott's current dilemma, given the situation he has inherited, and I can only wish John well in climbing out of a deep bomb crater hole, dug by others."
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments