Did the English or French pay for the Chunnel?

A rail tunnel was chosen over proposals for a very long suspension bridge, a bridge-and-tunnel link, and a combined rail-and-road link, and the project was privately financed by a consortium of British and French corporations and banks; the Anglo-French company operating the tunnel is called Eurotunnel.



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The project was financed entirely by private sector capital, including five banks who were part of the TransManche Link consortium. Financing originated partly from investment by shareholders and partly from GBP8 billion of debt (about USD12. 2 billion, 1994 prices).

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Soon after the start of operations, Eurotunnel reached a delicate financial situation which resulted from the escalation of construction costs, a large overestimation of the cross-Channel market and the underestimation of the cross-Channel ferry operators' competitive response which led to a very damaging price war.

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Dover - Calais ferry tickets start at around €36 for foot passengers and at about €80 for passengers who travel with a vehicle. On the other hand, prices for the Eurotunnel start at over €100 for a one-way drive to France from the UK. Conclusion: the ferry from the UK to France is usually cheaper than the Eurotunnel.

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The lining of the tunnel is designed to last for 120 years. 18. It takes around 35 minutes to travel the length of the Channel Tunnel.

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On 11 September 2008, a France-bound Eurotunnel Shuttle train carrying heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) and their drivers caught fire while travelling through the Channel Tunnel.

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The tunnel is actually designed to leak. As Eurotunnel explain on their website, 'seawater from the rocks above the tunnel drips through and is then pumped away.

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Water is drained from the tunnels by large submersible pumps, and reliable operation is critical - there are more than 200 train movements in each direction every day.

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The Laerdal Tunnel in western Norway is the longest road tunnel in the world. It takes about 20 minutes to pass through the tunnel. Brightly colored lights placed every six kilometers help drivers stay alert.

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Eurotunnel is now highly profitable, after a difficult start when it was held down by massive debts from the tunnel construction. Debt restructuring in 2007 reversed the company's fortunes — at the expense of thousands of small shareholders who saw their holdings slashed in value.

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