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Alpine tunnel to take heavies
18th December 1997, Page 10
18th December 1997
Page 10
Page 10, 18th December 1997
— Alpine tunnel to take heavies
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• Thousands of pounds may be saved in the future by international hauliers travelling to Italy if the go-ahead is given to build a railway tunnel through the Swiss Alps. Located under the St Gotthard Pass, the tunnel will allow 40 tonne lorries, presently banned from Swiss Alpine roads, the opportunity to go under the Alps in under less than an hour.
Problems over giving a green light to the project mainly lie with its finance, technical worries and a Swiss referendum on the plan.
Once given permission the tunnel is expected to take up to 10 years to build.
A second, shorter tunnel to be built at Loetschberg is also being proposed.