Transport for the North (TfN) drops plans for a new major road across the Pennines with a dual-bore tunnel after studies revealed it would be too costly and environmentally damaging. They recommend instead to improve the existing road.

In TfN's 'Statutory advice on the Trans Pennine Strategic Road Studies', Peter Molyneux, Major Roads Director at Transport for the North is quoted as saying:

“As many will attest, the existing road link across the Pennines is notoriously below par. It’s regularly congested and is closed for an average of 70 days a year due to bad weather and dangerous driving conditions.

“Both road and rail links between Greater Manchester and the Sheffield City Region are currently really poor and need investment in order to level up opportunities for the communities they serve across the southern Pennines corridor.

“Whilst a tunnelled dual carriageway may not be the answer, we’ve expressed our view to Government that more work should be done to look at environmentally sustainable solutions for both road and rail across the Pennines.”

A 19 January memo (PDF) from TfN's Chief Executive Barry White to Secretary of State Grant Shapps reads:

Re: Trans Pennine Strategic Road Studies -Statutory Advice from Transport for the North

I am writing to you today in response to the agreement at the Transport for the North (TfN) Board on 14thJanuary that TfN should provide your Department with statutory advice on recommended next steps for the Trans Pennine Tunnel and M6-A1(M) strategic road studies.

TfN Board acknowledge the significant challenges in delivering major strategic routeupgrades within the two Trans Pennine corridors and accept that there should be no further work on considering full dualling of these strategic routes.

However, road connectivity is poor within both corridors and there is still a requirement to identify deliverable and financially viable solutions supporting our shared strategic objectives for levelling up the economy, delivering environmental benefits and supporting improved quality of life for citizens in the North.

Since their inception,TfN has strongly supported work on both corridor studies, coordinating engagement with local partners, and bringing forward potential solutions to help mitigate financial and environmental challenges.

We have set out TfN’s advice,agreed by our Board,in the addendum to this letter.We would all want to see future work to progress at speed.Our advice therefore proposesthat TfN should act as the sponsor for further work to investigate viable options for a coherent package of improvements for both corridors.

I look forward to your response and would welcome the opportunity to discuss next steps for identifying transport improvements for both corridors.

and for the dual bored tunnel the addendum reads:

2.Specific to Trans Pennine Tunnel

TfN and partners understand the significant challenges to delivering the ambition for a twin bore tunnel for the trans Pennine route, and accept the need to investigate proposals that move away from the full dualling of a strategic route.

There is still a strong case for improving strategic connectivity between Manchester and Sheffield and that further work should continue, and within the context set out under section 1 should include:

a)Improvements to the A628 and A616, rather than full dualling, to increase road safety, reliability and resilience. These would need to consider effects on the wider local road network and be to an exemplar environmental design.

b)With the move to zero tailpipe emission and expected advent of autonomous / semi-autonomous vehicles the potential for a single bore tunnel to achieve similar strategic benefits to the more expensive dual bore tunnel considered up till now.

c)Consideration of the resilience benefits of improving east-west connectivity in the Southern Pennines, including the advantages of a tunnel in reducing the impact of severe weather.

d)Benefits of improved connectivity for freight, both through and to the Peak District. Taking account of the changing demands for, and distribution of freight movements across the North. This is particularly important as the United Kingdom develops new trading relationships with the European Union and globally. 

e)Account of the cumulative impacts for passengers and freight of the Trans Pennine Rail Upgrade and Northern Powerhouse Rail.

Further work will require development funding and should be sponsored by TfN, working in close partnership with DfT, Highways England, Peak District National Park and local authority partners.