Tunnels: West Yorkshire

(asked on 21st May 2020) - View Source

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Vere of Norbiton on 20 May (HL4128), whether the work by Highways England on planned safety work on the Queensbury Tunnel will protect the tunnel for possible future use as a cycleway.


Answered by
Baroness Vere of Norbiton Portrait
Baroness Vere of Norbiton
Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
This question was answered on 3rd June 2020

The current phase of safety works by Highways England contractors at Queensbury Tunnel are being delivered to ensure their safe access to the high-risk zone. This phase of works would not be prejudicial to any future reopening of the tunnel.

The subsequent phase of safety works, scheduled for early July 2020, will involve the creation of a concrete plug below shaft 3 to strengthen the base of the shaft and prevent collapse and is essential to protect the public. These works would make it more difficult to reopen the tunnel in future, but conditions around the base of shaft 3 represent a high-risk environment to contractors due to water levels in excess of 3.5 meters and active deterioration of the tunnel lining in that area.

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