As if to shadow the T&TI comment from October last year, where we tried to offer a glimmer of optimism for our sector in the face of a world recession, the news this month is full of large scale tunnelling projects that appear to completely buck the current trend for economic depression.
In Mexico City we see plans for a 62km long, 7m diameter, multiple TBM bored water tunnel, as Shanghai puts finishing touches to its 9km long Line 7 underground section whilst announcing that by 2010 another six lines will be added to its existing five. In the UK Bechtel gets the go ahead as delivery partner for London’s Crossrail mega-project, Europe’s largest planned infrastructure project, as in India, the 14 TBMs on the Delhi Metro appear to be heading to hit the tight deadline of tunnel completion by December. Hong Kong is reclaiming its crown as the tunnelling place to be with a raft of projects in the planning, whilst Scandinavia offers stiff competition from projects such as the Copenhagen Metro and the planned 18.5km long road and rail link between Germany and Denmark. These are but a few examples, the list in reality goes on and on.
The recession has brought one real glimmer of light to the tunnelling industry. It has started to put underground infrastructure on the client radar far more than previously. Who would have thought five years ago the London Mayor would be singing the praises of tunnels in his newspaper column, read by hundred’s of thousands? We have to hope that this isn’t just political lip service, promising employment for thousands and infrastructure legacies to last. It is vital that governments put their money where their mouths are and stump up the funding through public spending, or confidently enter delivery methods in partnership with the private sector that will allow financing to be secured.
We can provide the skills to build these structures, now they must do their bit, and provide the skills to deliver the financing.
On a completely different and slightly sad note, we must bid farewell this month to T&TI Deputy Editor Amanda, who’s been with the magazine through thick and thin for nearly 10 years now. It’s been great fun, and Amanda’s also played a very big part in the development of T&TI over the decade (and put up with me threatening to throw my computer out of the window on many occasion). And for that I thank her sincerely. But don’t worry, she’s still staying with the industry and will be heading up the North American T&T full time.
We wish her all the very best, and I’m sure she’ll thrive in her new editorship. Good luck Amanda!
Tris
