The Channel Tunnel Rail Link (CTRL) is the first major new railway to be constructed in the UK for over a century and the first high-speed railway.

The 109km track will stretch from St. Pancras, central London, to the Channel Tunnel complex at Cheriton in Kent.

The £5.2 billion railway will allow travel at 300KpH, connecting Britain directly with Europe's expanding high-speed rail network and significantly reducing journey times.

A unique railway and operations contracting strategy was developed, tendered, awarded and mobilised within very short timescales to enable the opening of Section 1 of the project on time and on budget.

An operation and maintenance strategy was developed and delivered to enable opening of the CTRL Section 1 on time. It would be the first time in the world that a Very High Speed Railway had been maintained by the private sector.