Channel Tunnel Rail Link section 1: Ashford Available to Purchase

Ashford in Kent is the only station on the first section of the £5·2 billion Channel Tunnel Rail Link, requiring the high-speed route to run directly through the town and connect with local services. It is perhaps therefore not surprising that this was one of the most difficult parts of the project, requiring complex tunnelling and bridging works in a busy urban environment. This paper provides a brief overview of contract 430, which—thanks partly to an innovative working relationship between the contracting and project management teams—was completed on schedule despite one of the wettest winters on record.