Tunnel Talkback: The underground option

Comment

Publishing Date: 11 Aug 2009 9:46am GMT
Author: George Demetri

Summary

Debate is probably one of the most refined forms of argument. French essayist and moralist Joseph Joubert (1754-1824) is quoted as saying: “It is better to debate a question without settling it than to settle a question without debating it.” Here at World Tunnelling, we aim to get more debate on the pressing issues of the day. To this end, we have set up a Tunnel Talkback page on the WT website, which is designed to allow readers to respond and engage with others on themes that will change from month to month. In time, the web page will hopefully come to form a useful resource of relevant issues and the discussions that grow out of them.

Other tunnelling methods

To launch the new feature, ITA/AITES President Martin Knights has kindly provided the first theme. He asks:

“Should owners be forced by new planning law to at least consider the underground option for some ‘developments’ in urban areas, taking into account energy use, sustainable long-term benefits and rational use of scarce surface space?”

NB: ‘developments’ in this case means ‘facilities’, which might include transport hubs, storage, industrial and commercial developments; not linear rail/road/water/sewerage schemes.

Now there’s food for thought, which I hope will inspire some of you to check-out the website at www.world-tunnelling.com. I certainly look forward to hearing from you.

Online discussion sites have proved a tried and tested formula. Hopefully, WT readers will value participating and interacting with like-minded professionals.

After all, as Joubert also said, “the aim of argument, or of discussion, should not be victory, but progress”.

George Demetri
Editor
george.demetri@aspermontuk.com

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