Editing TransManche Link

{{Short description|Consortium responsible for building the Channel Tunnel between France and the United Kingdom}}{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2017}}
[[File:TransManche Link (TML) - Logo.svg|right|150px]]
'''TransManche Link''' (Cross Channel Link) or '''TML''' was a British-French construction [[consortium]] responsible for building the [[Channel Tunnel]] under the [[English Channel]] between [[Cheriton, Kent|Cheriton]] in England, and [[Coquelles]] in France.

==History==
In April 1985 the British and French governments invited proposals for the construction of a link between the two countries to be privately funded. In January 1986 the two governments selected the Channel Tunnel Group/France Manche proposal for the construction of two undersea tunnels. At [[Canterbury Cathedral]] on 12 February 1986 the governments signed a treaty approving construction of the Channel Tunnel. In March the concession for the operation of the tunnel was given to Channel Tunnel Group (CTG) and France Manche (FM).

Following the award of this concession CTG was subsumed by the newly formed [[Getlink|Eurotunnel plc]] and FM was similarly replaced with Eurotunnel SA, together these formed the Eurotunnel Group.

In July 1985 the British contractors formed Translink Contractors and the French consortium formed Transmanche Construction. On 18 October 1985 these two groups were merged to create TransManche Link (TML). TML was thus contracted to build the tunnel for its customer, Eurotunnel, who would own and operate it. TML senior management were employees of the partner companies seconded to the new organisation.

In October 1986 Eurotunnel was partially floated and the contractors and banks no longer exercised control over the company. Beginning in 1987 relations between TML and Eurotunnel deteriorated, with significant and increasingly public rows erupting over cost and programme management.

With the completion of the Channel Tunnel TML ceased to exist.

==Organisation==
[[File:Crossover excav.jpg|350px|right]]
The participants were as follows:<ref>[http://en.structurae.de/structures/data/index.cfm?ID=s0000334 Channel Tunnel on Structurae database]</ref>

'''Channel Tunnel Group (later Translink Contractors)'''
*[[Balfour Beatty]]
*[[Costain Group|Costain]]
*[[Tarmac Group|Tarmac Construction]]
*[[Taylor Woodrow Construction]]
*[[George Wimpey|Wimpey International Construction]]
*[[NatWest]]
*[[Midland Bank]]

'''France Manche (later Transmanche Construction) '''
*[[Bouygues]]
*Dumez
*Société Auxiliaire d’Entreprise
*Société Générale d’Entreprises
*[[Spie Batignolles]]
*[[Crédit Lyonnais]]
*[[BNP Paribas|Banque Nationale de Paris]]
*[[Banque Indosuez]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Channel tunnel}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Transmanche Link}}
[[Category:Channel Tunnel]]
[[Category:Construction and civil engineering companies of the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Tunnelling organizations]]
[[Category:Construction and civil engineering companies established in 1985]]
[[Category:British companies established in 1985]]
[[Category:Construction and civil engineering companies disestablished in the 20th century]]