A EUROPEAN grant of more than £32million is set to push forward better links between the UK and the Continent. Cash for the development of the Trans European Network (TEN) for 1999 is £4 million more than last year.

The majority of the cash will be invested in the Channel Tunnel Rail Link (£19.3 million) and the West Coast Main Line (£8.5 million). A further £2.1 million will improve access to Birmingham, Manchester, London Luton and London City airports. Funding for TEN was agreed in 1995 to promote a coherent pan-European transport infrastructure, with the Channel Tunnel rail link and West Coast Main Line making up two of 14 priority projects throughout the EU.