The Eurotunnel has so far failed to live up to its revolutionary promise of connecting Britain and the continent. Eurostar has struggled to make a profit since its opening at the start of the twenty-first century. Tourists, freight haulage and business travellers are still just as likely to opt for travel by ferry – longer but often cheaper.
Options for expanding the tunnel do exist: original plans laid aside space in the adjacent seabed for further expansion. The economies of scale this would produce are attractive.
DEFCOM, the European Union’s development branch is discussing plans to provide assistance in finding funding for a land bridge to be built between Folkestone and Dunkirk. Laying track over ground is considerably cheaper than underground and comes with the added bonus of addressing Britain’s reluctance to engage in continental affairs.
The disruption this would cause to shipping is thought to be considerable but would be allayed by the construction of an enormous crane, which would lift ships over the new land bridge.
