A message from our colleagues at Transition Glossop:

Simon Burns, Minister for Transport, has written to Andrew Bingham MP asking for his views on preserving the two Victorian Woodhead Tunnels.

The National Grid has now finished transferring its high voltage cables to the 1953 tunnel. The campaign group Save The Woodhead tunnel obtained a promise from the then government that the old tunnels would be preserved so that if the 1953 tunnel was reopened for railway traffic the cables could be moved back into an older tunnel.

Mr Burns is of the view that the DoT now won’t do this and has asked for Mr Bingham’s views by the beginning of September.

The cost of keeping the tunnels open is estimated at £25,000 a year. By contrast the aborted public inquiry into the Mottram and Tintwistle Bypass cost £16 million.

The decision on the tunnels now looks like it will be made before the initial consultations on a new Trans-Pennine route even begin.

The Transport Group of Glossopdale in Transition are calling on people to urgently write to or email to Andrew Bingham to tell him to save the tunnels.

More at glossopdaleintransition.blogspot.co.uk

Martin Porter
GTi Transport Subgroup