ironstone wrote:
what's the real (as opposed to ideal) alternative?
The entirely real alternative is to build the tunnel a bit longer, say 4.5 miles instead of a niggardly 2.9 miles.This can't be claimed to be technically impossible as we built a rail tunnel of 4.5 miles under the Severn 150 years ago.
Nor can it be claimed to be too expensive as we are going to build a tunnel for HS2 under the Chilterns which will be 10 miles long.
The damnable thing is that the Government has managed to convince the public the alternative IS too expensive and our three heritage protection bodies have taken that as gospel without putting up the slightest challenge to it.
Oh and that the scheme will break an international treaty, although in the brave new Trump/Boris world that has hardly raised an eyebrow.
