A proposal has been put forward to connect Manchester and Sheffield via a 14-mile underground tunnel to reduce the heavy congestion drivers currently face.
The project, named Trans-Pennine Connect, has been developed by infrastructure company Future Works. It proposes a long dual carriageway built underneath the Peak District National Park.
While local authorities welcome the interest in improving connections across the East Midlands and the North, the government says environmental and financial costs would hinder such a project from getting off the ground.
Despite being 40 miles apart, Manchester and Sheffield are the largest pair of cities in the UK without a dual carriageway connection.
Currently, the fastest route by car between the cities is on the A57 through the National Park, which has extensive single-carriageway stretches. The A57 often suffers from traffic congestion, and includes one of the country’s most challenging roads, Snake Pass, which features steep gradients, sharp bends and has suffered from landslides in recent years.
Clyde & Co, the law firm advising Future Works on the Trans-Pennine Connect project, said the project would use techniques inspired by Scandinavian tunnelling, specifically the “drill and blast” method that is used in Norway.
They argue that the scheme would remove trans-Pennine traffic from the National Park and could restore the former Woodhead railway route alongside the road tunnel.
The Woodhead railway, which closed to passenger traffic in 1970, previously linked Sheffield and Manchester through tunnels.
If the project is approved, construction of the tunnels could begin before the end of the decade, with completion earmarked for the mid 2030s.
A spokesperson for the East Midlands Combined County Authority (EMCCA), which oversees a portion of the Peak District in Derbyshire, said: “We welcome the interest in improving transport connectivity across the East Midlands and beyond, including proposals put forward by organisations such as Future Works Infrastructure and Trans-Pennine Connect.
“We recognise that poor transport connections continue to hold back economic growth across the Midlands and the North. Crossing the Peak District is one example, but there are many others, including the A38 improvements in Derby and the A46 at Newark, which are much closer to delivery and remain important priorities.”
“Any future proposals will need to be considered as part of that wider strategic picture and be informed by evidence, affordability and public feedback, but we will watch developments with interest.”
The government’s Department for Transport says there are “no plans” for a Trans-Pennine tunnel.
A DfT spokesperson said: “We remain committed to investing in projects that deliver for the taxpayer and drive growth, however we have no plans for a Trans-Pennine tunnel due to significant financial and environmental costs.
“National Highways has already identified measures to strengthen safety and resilience along the A628/A616 corridor, which are part of safety improvements in our third Road Investment Strategy.”
The Independent has contacted Future Works for comment.
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