Rail tunnel future remains unclear

THE scrapping of the controversial Mottram road bypass has made no difference to the chances of reopening the Woodhead rail tunnel to trains, the Government has made clear.
Power cables currently run through the old tunnel, which was built in 1846, but they are at the end of their life. The tunnel is in poor condition and was replaced by British Rail in 1954 but closed 30 years later.

Owners National Grid plan to re-lay the cables through the 1954 tunnel which would make it almost impossible to use it as a railway again.

An alliance of politicians, green campaigners and railway enthusiasts — including North-West Euro-MP Chris Davies — is fighting to save it.

Liberal Democrat shadow transport secretary Norman Baker asked Transport Secretary Geoff Hoon to review the potential use of the tunnel by rail traffic in the light of the Highways Agency’s decision to withdraw from the A57/A628 bypass public inquiry.

Transport Minister Paul Clark said it may not decide whether to abandon the decaying 160-year-old original tunnel for another two years.

Mr Clark, replying for Mr Hoon, said: “We are keeping the potential future use of the Woodhead tunnel by rail traffic under review as we will need to determine by 2011 whether the Victorian tunnels should be subject to an ongoing inspection and maintenance regime.”

The Northern Way alliance of regional development agencies last year detailed what would need to be done to keep the option of bringing the Woodhead rail route between Hadfield and Penistone back into use and says it is essential that all options for making this a reality remain open.

Mr Baker said: “The Government seems to edging in the right direction. However, it needs to go much further. It must realise that the tunnel is a crucial piece of infrastructure, and the sooner it is brought back, the better.”