Browse Sections

• Education
• Special reports

Seeing light at end of the tunnel

by Tom Rowley
6/ 8/2008

DEMONSTRATORS kept up the pressure on the government in the campaign to re-open the Woodhead Tunnel to rail travel.

More than 50 people gathered at the western end of the tunnel to stage a protest, hear speakers and enjoy music on Saturday.

Some had hiked for more than two hours over the route of the Woodhead Line, while others had cycled from Hadfield and one man had come all the way from Southampton.

It was the second protest at the tunnel — which has been closed to trains for 27 years — this year.

Campaigners believe there is a strong case to re-open the route between Sheffield and Manchester to meet national climate change commitments, relieve congestion on roads and boost the local economy.

Jonathan Atkinson, co-ordinator of the Save the Woodhead Tunnel campaign — who lives in Glossop — believes the ball is now in the government’s court.

"Everyone now sees the common sense case in re-opening the Woodhead line: local MPs, businesses and unions, the Northern Way and now the local community have demonstrated their support," he said. "It’s up to (secretary of state) Ruth Kelly and the department of transport to pull their fingers out and include Woodhead in the forthcoming Transport White Paper."

The tunnel’s future has been in doubt since National Grid began routing cables through it earlier this year. Campaigners were told by Miss Kelly that the tunnel would only be preserved for rail use after 2010 if a case is made for the route to be re-opened.

Representatives from Save the Woodhead Tunnel are due to meet rail minister Rosie Winterton in October.

People wanting to get involved in the campaign can log onto www.savethewoodheadtunnel.blogspot.com or attend its next meeting at the Prince of Wales pub, Milltown, Glossop at 7.30pm on Thursday (14 August).

Woodhead campaigners have been heartened by proposals unveiled by councils in southern England opposed to Heathrow Airport’s proposed expansion.

The scheme envisages an England-Scotland spine rail route, with several spurs reaching out to major cities including Liverpool and Manchester.

"This plan is fantastic news," said co-ordinator Jonathan Atkinson. "It shows the viability and importance of the tunnel link to the outer parts of the UK. Instead of flying from airports like Glasgow, Edinburgh and Bristol, people could take this high speed rail link."