Highways England, the custodians of Queensbury Tunnel, have applied for planning permission to abandon this outstanding Victorian structure, rendering it permanently inaccessible and allowing 88% of it to collapse below the village. The cost of this work is likely to exceed £7 million, funded by the taxpayer.
However, an alternative vision for its future has been put forward by the Queensbury Tunnel Society (QTS), supported by Bradford and Calderdale councils. In 2018, a firm of consulting engineers developed a refurbishment plan costed at £6.9 million. This would allow the tunnel to be incorporated into a strategically useful cycling route linking Bradford and Halifax, creating a positive legacy for future generations. It would deliver social, environmental and health, as well as boosting the economy by £37.6 million over 30 years.
If you share the view that £7 million of public money should be used to restore - rather than destroy - Queensbury Tunnel, please object to Highways England’s planning application. You can do so via Bradford Council’s planning portal…
