Anyone in Bradford/Halifax know what’s going on?

it looks like it is on hold or cancelled.
damage inside from rain has caused a huge bulge, so they have been filling in with hardcore.
from the central air shaft.

On Look North (local W Yorks news) the other night they said that Highways England were staring to drop stone in through an air vent to shore up the tunnel. It was at risk of collapsing due to the recent heavy rain.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-leeds-50139370

Highways England have been waiting for an excuse to fill it in for ages. They just don’t want to open it up even though the cost for both making it safe and opening it up are apparently pretty similar…..

massive expense involved doing it up. is it worth it?

Yeah if it’s the same massive expense to fill it in

From Road.cc

They are filling it in prior to getting planning. If there’s any justice they will be fined for doing so the amount to dig it out and reopen, which will be handed to a conservation group to do just that.

Yeah if it’s the same massive expense to fill it in

Is it?

Cost of infill £3m
Cost of reopening: Somewhere between £4m and £35m (the higher figure has been widely accused of being ridiculous, but my cynicism about infrastructure cost estimates makes me think the cost of restoration could be greater than £4m). And that doesn’t include the costs of upgrading approach routes to be more cycle-friendly. The Bradford side was estimated at £4.6m

http://www.queensburytunnel.org.uk/reports/SustransEconomicImpactStudy.pdf

I admit to only skim reading the report, so perhaps I have the wrong end of the stick, but Table 4 seemed a bit odd – they are estimating a total of zero commuters on bike (and perhaps 4 or 5 on foot) would use it each day.

Leisure cycling and walking is important, obviously, but I’m surprised there is no suggestion of economic/traffic benefits for a project of this scale and cost.

And I hate to say it, but the ranting polemic against Highways England at the end of the latest press statement may be born of frustration and anger, but doesn’t read well to a third party.

http://www.queensburytunnel.org.uk/reports/EmergencyInfillingOfNo2Shaft(October19).pdf

They are filling it in prior to getting planning. If there’s any justice they will be fined for doing so the amount to dig it out and reopen

Unlikely, they are using emergency powers to stabilise the tunnel.

https://yorkshiretimes.co.uk/article/Campaigners-Hit-Back-At-Tunnel-Vandalism

Sounds like both the campaign and Bradford Council are keen to know what’s going on?

https://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/news/17998802.bradford-council-leader-urges-secretary-state-intervene-save-queensbury-tunnel/

Hi,

A further update but not a good update

http://chng.it/PhmnJCg5XK

For those of you not familiar with the area the tunnel connects Bradford and Halifax together without having to climb the big hill to Queensbury. The route would be away from traffic and take in some fantastic scenery. The section of railway made into a bridleway from the other side that links Thornton has been exceptionally busy since March.

It seems incredibly short sighted to just fill it in and forget about it.

If you could sign the petition, it would be appreciated.

Thanks

1 JUL 2020 —

We feel hugely let down by the Government’s response to Bradford Council’s year-long efforts to develop a strong case for a Bradford-Halifax Greenway (B2HG) via Queensbury Tunnel.

A recent study has concluded that the route would return £5.60 in social and economic benefits for every £1 invested, representing very high value for money. Leisure and tourism would drive this figure up further.

Given the increased levels of active travel seen during lockdown, the public clearly has a healthy appetite for walking and cycling. This was recognised when Government announced a £2 billion fund for more infrastructure investment.

We felt sure the merits of the B2HG scheme would be fully recognised. But no. Two weeks ago, the Council was offered a £4 million dowry to take on the tunnel’s ownership – less than 60% of what’s needed just for repairs and £3 million *less* than the Department for Transport is spending on its abandonment! Not a single penny was offered towards construction of the Greenway. The Council was given just four days to decide whether to accept. Is this really how Government works?

Discussions are continuing, but Highways England – who manage the tunnel for the DfT – is about to begin another phase of works which brings the prospect of abandonment closer.

Could you please encourage your local MP to ask the Government to look again at funding for the Bradford-Halifax Greenway. If it’s serious about active travel, this strategic route between two large conurbations must be worth investing in.

And for the several hundred recent signatories to this petition, could we please ask you to lodge an objection against Highways England’s plans to abandon Queensbury Tunnel. It takes two minutes and you can do it online without registering.

Here’s the link to Bradford Council’s planning portal…

http://www.tiny.cc/TunnelObjections

Please remember to record your ‘Stance’ as OBJECT and share the link with your family, friends, colleagues and group members.

We’d like to thank you for once again for your support.

signed

Signed.

We’ve had a tunnel re-opened in Rossendale last year and tarmac and street lighting installed in it plus another one that was already open which needed repair. Probably about 0.3 of a mile in total, plus they had to put in a fairly significant bridge. I though it was a total waste of money, ran into the millions but I’ve been gobsmacked by the amount of use it gets now, both cyclists and pedestrians. I was very wrong. Sounds like the tunnel above would be well used.