Crossrail work starts in Essex for new nature reserve

Date: 30/9/2011

Work is underway at Wallasea Island in Essex as it gets ready to create a nature reserve from six million tonnes of material to be excavated by Crossrail.

The construction of a 21 km twin-bore tunnel will allow vessels to offload resources at the site.

It is expected that the first ships will arrive in summer 2012 as the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds sets about creating the wetland nature reserve.

Andy Mitchell, Crossrail Programme Director, said the firm is committed to pursuing "sustainable" methods in terms of this project.

"All of the excavated material from Crossrail's western tunnels will be transported to Wallasea Island by freight train and ship to minimise the number of Crossrail lorries in central London," he added.

The organisation is currently preparing the Royal Oak Crossrail site ahead of the tunnelling, which is due to get underway in the spring of 2012 and will see five separate tunnel portals created.

Posted by Nick Anderson