Inside the latest declassified documents exposed alarming, British and French tunnel bridge was almost replacedConnecting Britain and France, the Channel Tunnel opened to traffic in 1994, but according to the latest National Archives declassified documents revealed that the early 80s of last century, former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher's conservative government came close to giving up the Channel Tunnel Scheme , and the choice in the eastern English Channel Strait of Dover, the narrowest part of the construction of a 21 miles long, up to 67 meters, 6 lane bridge. However, the British government weighed again, and finally gave up the construction of this is still the world's most ambitious plans for a long suspension bridge, to build the Channel Tunnel.
"Bridge, more money than the tunnel"
According to reports, the latest declassified National Archives documents show that as early as the early 80s of last century, the leadership of Margaret Thatcher, British Conservative government had to consider in the eastern English Channel Strait of Dover, the narrowest part of the construction of a cross Anglo-French Channel Bridge.
It is reported that the idea is the construction of the Straits Bridge, Ralph Freeman from the British Jazz raised, he has the "Connect Europe" is the British and French to the British Government to submit a permanent traffic plan is one of several major competitors. Sir Ralph trying to convince the public the British Cabinet minister, the construction plans Strait Bridge --- than competitive tunnel safer, more profitable, and on more attractive to tourists. Sir Ralph Thatcher cabinet officials to lobby the report, said: "There is no reason to think, between England and France can not build a bridge across the Strait of Dover, this bridge will attract many Europeans to the UK tourism It stimulated the British tourism industry is far more than any tunnel. railway has lost its glory era, and now the train station are old and dirty, poor operation, and now the car era. "
The construction of at least 10 years
According to the Straits bridge project, connecting Britain and France, this 21-mile-long bridge will be the world's longest suspension bridge, it takes at least 10 years and several thousand workers toil night and day to build. The whole bridge will be 15 piers, each pier is 100 meters long, 50 meters wide, 1.8 miles between them far apart.
Sir Ralph said that if the Channel Bridge was completed, then each car just pay £ 5.6 bridge tolls, you can directly from France bound for the United Kingdom. He estimated that around 2010 a day, bridge the past number of cars and trucks will reach 40,000, the average annual levy Strait Bridge tolls to vehicles up to 2.4 billion pounds of revenue than any tunnel many times higher.
As cars drive on the left Britain, and Europe's right-hand drive vehicle traffic law, so Sir Ralph also suggested that all vehicles through the Strait Bridge are all right-hand lane to avoid traffic chaos.
Sir Ralph also said Strait Bridge safer than the tunnel, in which he explained: "If in the tunnel of fire or explosion occurs, the consequences will be disastrous. But on the bridge, will the small risk of much more.