A SUPER-SEWER beneath London faces a crucial ruling this week as ministers decide whether to approve or defer planning permission for the £4.2bn project.
The communities secretary Eric Pickles and new environment secretary Liz Truss must rule on the giant Thames Water scheme by Friday.
Thames wants to dig the 15½-mile tunnel from Acton in the west to Stratford in the east. It will burrow up to 215ft beneath the capital with the aim of reducing overflows of raw sewage into the Thames.
The government wants the private sector to fund the tunnel, initially, and its tender for an “infrastructure provider” has attracted bids from investors such as CKI, the holding company of the Hong Kong billionaire Li Ka-shing, Abu Dhabi’s sovereign wealth fund, Canadian pension fund CPP and the Universities Superannuation Scheme.
Thames Water customers will then pay for the tunnel through a levy of up to £80 on their bills.
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