Britain’s new high-speed rail line just passed the halfway point in excavating its massive network of tunnels, according to Rail UK.
This marks a huge step forward in delivering faster, greener transportation options that will benefit both people and the planet.
The high-speed rail project — which is currently the largest infrastructure project in Europe, per RSK Group — has now completed over 29 miles of its planned 54.8 miles of tunnels.
The tunnels are being carved out by a fleet of giant tunnel-boring machines, affectionately given Thomas the Tank Engine-esque names like Dorothy, Florence, and Cecilia. These incredible machines act like underground factories — they dig the tunnel, line it with concrete segments, and keep moving forward at an impressive clip of up to 16 meters (over 52 feet) per day.
But beyond being an impressive feat of engineering, this high-speed rail line will be a major win for everyday people. By making rail journeys much faster and more reliable, it will give people a convenient, low-carbon alternative to short-haul flights or long car trips. That means less time sitting in traffic and more time spent doing the things you love.
Of course, it’s also great news for the environment. Shifting more travel from roads and planes to electrified rail lines will put a big dent in transportation pollution.
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In the U.K., transportation is the largest source of planet-overheating pollution, per GreenMatch. So, the more we can clean up how we get around, the better off we’ll all be.
Rail minister Huw Merriman is certainly excited about the progress, telling Rail UK: “Reaching this impressive milestone on a project of this scale shows just how much momentum is behind the construction of the line, which will have a transformative impact on rail travel for generations to come.
“It’s a significant achievement for the team helping deliver this railway and I’m delighted the project has now supported record numbers of new jobs, demonstrating the vital role it is playing in creating opportunities up and down the country.”
So, next time you’re daydreaming about your next trip, get excited by the option of hopping on a sleek, sustainability-supercharged high-speed train. Thanks to the impressive progress on these tunnels, that green travel future is looking closer than ever.
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