Tunnel anniversary prompts calls for reopening

Campaigners calling for a disused railway tunnel to be brought back into use say its reopening would be a way of honouring those who built it 150 years ago.

Work to construct the Queensbury Tunnel, which links Bradford and Halifax in West Yorkshire, began on 21 May 1874.

Norah McWilliam, of the Queensbury Tunnel Society, said it was now "time to end the uncertainty" over its future.

The society wants the 1.4-mile (2.25km) route to become a traffic-free "greenway" for walkers and cyclists.

The railway line closed in 1956, with the tunnel owned by the Department for Transport.

It is maintained on its behalf by National Highways' Historical Railways Estate, which has been approached for comment.

Ms McWilliam said engineer John Fraser and the workers who built the tunnel left an "extraordinary legacy".

"We’ve worked hard as advocates for the tunnel’s potential as a strategic connector and it’s clear that many stakeholders see that value," she said.

"What’s needed now is a practical commitment to join together the communities along the three legs of the proposed active travel network to make a positive, long-term difference."

A campaign to secure the tunnel for future use was launched in 2013, with former transport minister Grant Shapps allocating £1m to the tunnel in 2020 to help develop a business case for the route.

A feasibility study into the costs and technical challenges of repurposing the structure has been carried out, but the results are yet to be revealed.

Bradford Council said the report would be published in due course.

At least 10 men lost their lives during the four years it took to complete the tunnel, campaigners said.

Graeme Bickerdike, engineering coordinator for the Queensbury Tunnel Society, said: “The enterprise, courage and tenacity shown by the Victorians - driving the tunnel through the hill in unimaginable conditions - contrasts starkly with the destructive ambitions of National Highways who only see the structure as a liability.

"Whilst it presents many challenges it also offers compelling social and economic benefits as we transition to more sustainable forms of transport.”

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