European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - November 26, 1985, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Tuesday november 26, 1985 the stars and stripes Page 17 $1atvii Fth 1851 prof of hoc Loe Donau Wai for a sub red tub Laid on the Channel Bottom with Pavilion for Van ligation. Bidders submit plans to French British government dreams of Cross Channel link by Paul Lewis new York times t he dream of Tunnel or Bridge linking Britain an France first proposed by Napoleon has moved an important step closer to reality. In Paris and London. A or Industrial and banking groups and a number of private inventors have formally presented the French and British governments with rival plans or building a link across the English Channel by the Middle of the next decade. The plans were presented at the and of october on the last Day for submitting proposals for what has been widely nicknamed the  the two governments plan to choose a design by mid january. The successful bidder must raise All the financing from private sources without any government Aid or loan guarantees. The governments plan to draft a special treaty allowing construction to Start by mid-1987 and the project to enter service about 1993. Tom Plant preteen led include a variety of tunnels and Bridges or combinations of the two to connect Dover and Calais which Are separated by 22 Miles of sea. Many of the proposals Are joint British French efforts involving leading investment Banks and financial institutions prominent Industrial corporations and Large construction and Engineer no concerns. The proposals include a double Tunnel for trains a Road Bridge with three mile spans a Tunnel for cars and trains and most ambitious of All a combination of Bridges and tunnels that would require building islands in the Middle of the Channel. The costs of the projects Range from $3 billion to $13 billion. There is also a proposal not to build any structural link. That last minute plan was submitted in London by a group of Channel ferry owners and port authorities who want to upgrade the ferry system with giant  during ceremony to officially receive the bids an unexpected proposal came from a French inventor Jan Van Der pattern who rushed in with plans for a combination Tunnel and tidal powered electric generating station that he said would meet the electricity needs of Southern Britain and Northern France. British and French Bankers and industrialists have been showing increased interest in a project since last november s meeting Between prime minister Margaret Thatcher and president Francois Mitterrand. The leaders agreed to set common safety and environmental standards and to guarantee the project against political risks such As War. Earlier attempts to build a Tunnel floundered Lor political and financial reasons. The inventor of the rotary bore. Col. Frederick Beaumont started digging in 1890, but the British government stopped him fearing a Tunnel could Aid a French invasion of Britain. In 1975, Britain pulled out of a government backed Tunnel project saying it could not afford it. Now the plans offered by the eur route consortium and Channel Tunnel group Are considered the leading contenders. Eur route proposes Road Bridges stretching about five Miles out from the British and French coasts to artificial islands which would be connected by a 13-mile-Long Tunnel. Each Island would have hotels shops and a yacht Marina. A separate twin track rail Tunnel could also be Laid along the seabed. The Cost is put at Between $11 billion and $14 billion the most expensive of All the proposals. Eur route said it had received letters of intent irom major financial institutions prepared to help it raise $10 billion in equity and debt. Supporter of eur route say it allows motorists to simply drive across the Channel unlike rail based plans that would have vehicles placed on trains. One such plan comes from the other top contender Channel Tunnel group which proposes a double rail Tunnel connected to a Central service Tunnel about 120 feet below the Channel bed. The system would allow cars or buses to drive straight onto trains with passengers remaining in their vehicles for the 30-minute journey. Trains would leave every five minutes. The French slate railway would run its High Speed train the Tiv through the Tunnel Lor a three hour parts to London trip. Total Cost is estimated at about $5.5 billion. Channel Tunnel group said it has provisional commitments of Between $4.9 billion and $5 6 billion provided it can raise $1.3 billion in equity financing. Its supporters say that it is relatively inexpensive. Critics contend it is less flexible than a car system and is vulnerable to strikes by rail unions. Another plan is offered by euro Ridge which wants to build a 21-mile enclosed Bridge made up of seven 3-mlle spans suspended from 900-foot towers far longer than any suspension Bridge Ever built. Euro Ridge also plans a single track steel rail Tunnel under the Channel. Total Cost is estimated at $11.5 billion. A late entry in the Competition comes from Channel expressway with a plan for twin tunnels containing a two Lane expressway for motor vehicles and a train track ventilated by shafts rising above the surface of the sea. Cost is estimated at $2.9 billion. Channel expressway Al matk Hrew end Meta. Thide earning to in turn