Campaigners hoping to convert a disused railway tunnel into a cycleway are raising funds for a judicial review after the government ruled the scheme was too expensive.
Members of the Queensbury Tunnel Society met Transport Minister Lilian Greenwood in a last-ditch attempt to reverse the decision, but were told the tunnel would be effectively sealed off, says the BBC. Queensbury Tunnel closed in 1956 and was part of a line that linked Bradford and Halifax with a branch to Keighley.
Earlier this month the Minister for Future of Roads Lillian Greenwood instructed National Highways to carry out works to maintain public safety. This decision was made owing to the absence of local funding to develop the tunnel as a transport link and its continued deterioration.
A Sustrans study, commissioned by the Department for Transport, identified several lower-cost alternatives with better value for money than routes making use of the tunnel.
A DfT statement said: “This has been a difficult decision but ultimately, we have a responsibility to safety and delivering value for the taxpayer.”
A judicial review would see judges examine the lawfulness of the decision. Norah McWilliam, leader of the society, said: “We are talking about seven-and-a-half million pounds to permanently destroy the tunnel.
“Her (the minister’s) reason is that there’s a safety issue, which we don’t accept. The only way to do it is to close the tunnel, which we don’t accept. She said there isn’t any money to restore the tunnel. We accept that, but there could be at some point in the future. The tunnel could just be left as it is, there is no urgency.”
The society needs to raise £6,500 initially to allow solicitors to prepare a submission to start the case for a judicial review.
“If we progress through to a judicial review then it would cost a hell of a lot of money, around £60,000,” said Ms McWilliam.
Re-use of the tunnel as a greenway was first proposed as a Tour de France legacy scheme in 2014 after the Grand Départ of the world-famous cycle race was held in Yorkshire.
National Highways inherited the tunnel after the privatisation of British Rail and abandonment would reduce its liabilities. Between 2018 and 2021 it spent £7.2m on strengthening the tunnel, saying the work would “prevent further uncontrolled collapses, ensuring that any future plans for the re-use of the structure can be realised”.
But it started filling the 1.4-mile (2.25km) tunnel with gravel in 2021 to prevent collapse.
(Pic: National Highways)
