Tunnelling dangers

Published: 23 July, 2010

• THOSE who claim there will be no disturbance to Primrose Hill residents from tunnelling under their homes are talking utter nonsense. 

The London Tunnel of High Speed 1 (HS1), formerly the Channel Tunnel Rail Link, runs at a depth of 35 metres, about 25 metres from the front of my home, and the ground-borne noise and vibration are extremely intrusive. 

High Speed Two (HS2) appears to be proposing to run similar tunnels directly under Primrose Hill residents’ homes at little more than half that depth.

Further, HS2 claims the proposed tunnels would be similar to those of HS1 “in construction and design”.

For the sake of residents, I sincerely hope this does not prove to be the case. 

The method used for HS1 is fine for tunnelling through rock, but unsuitable for London’s soft subsoil. 

The same method was used for boring out the Heathrow Express line and in October 1994 there was a collapse with little warning. 

Fortunately, there were no buildings above the point where this collapse occurred, but there is no guarantee Primrose Hill residents will be that lucky.

PETER HUNTER
Mildmay Grove North, N1