£2bn Manchester-Sheffield tunnel proposed
Newly created Future Works Infrastructure has said it could deliver a 14-mile dual-carriageway tunnel beneath the Peak District to connect the two major Northern cities for a fraction of what government had priced a similar scheme.
Government had begun exploring building a tunnel between the two cities in 2015. A 2020 report from Highways England, now National Highways, priced a 25-mile tunnel at up to £12bn. Highways England’s research found that a shorter tunnel would cost £10.6bn, according to Future Works. The tunnel project was abandoned the year after.
But Future Works is ready to resurrect it, saying that it is possible to deliver this connection while also restoring more of the national park’s moorland and bringing back the Woodhead rail line – all for £2bn.
Future Works is founded by Michael Dnes, the former head of road investment strategy at the Department for Transport, and Alex Griffiths, head of project management for Heathrow Airport’s expansion.
Together, they believe that the key to delivering the carriageway tunnel lies in construction methods. The government model priced the scheme using traditional boring machines and adding concrete lining.
Future Works is pricing it using a drill and blast method that is currently deployed in Norway and utilising the existing strength of the rock.
The geology of the Pennines is similar to the rock found in Norway, which implies that this method would work in the UK just as well. Drill and blast led Norway to deliver the 15-mile Laerdal for £130m, Future Works pointed out.
The £2bn project could also be delivered without Westminster funding, Future Works has said. The tunnel could pay for itself through tolls, making it an investment prospect for local authorities, pension funds, or other private investors.
Future Works is turning this project from an idea into a shovel-ready scheme, with aims to assemble investors and take it through the planning process. If deadlines are all met, this could mean work starting on the project before the end of the decade, the company said.
Future Works is soliciting feedback on its proposals. You can have your say by going to transpennineconnect.com.
Clyde & Co is providing legal advice on the project.
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Analysis - Event Summary
GALLERY | North West Property Lunch
Property professionals gathered at Manchester Hall on Thursday for an afternoon of networking and engaging discussions around what Andy Burnham’s looming prime ministerial promotion might mean for the North, the wider economic picture’s impact on property development, and good growth.
Come on Andy make it happen
By Anonymous
Can we make sure the flying pig colony, in Glossop, is protected.
By Elephant
Sure!!!
By Anonymous
Twins
By Anonymous
At last, some logic
By John
I welcome this. It’s thinking out of the box and a national disgrace that the North West and South Yorks conurbation’s have almost third world connectivity. I spend a lot of time in the Alps where there are long tunnels everywhere often providing bypasses around small towns and communities, so to say we can afford this, given all the economic benefits it would bring is disingenuous and a disgrace that takes us northerners for mugs.
By Grumpy Ild Git.
Wouldn’t the money be better spent repurposing the old Woodhead railway tunnel between the two Cities. Surely bringing back the railway for passengers and freight would be far more beneficial to everybody in the long run. Not to mention the environmental benefits.
By Stephen Hart
I knew a toll would be mentioned! Echoes of the Runcorn Bridge – do we not pay enough in tax, road tax, car insurance etc? I know why not charge people more for living by the tunnel too isnt that called TIF? And putting your council tax up! Fantastic
By Bob Dawson
Nice to see someone thinking outside the box for a change . The cost of infrastructure projects in the UK compared with other countries is just crazy .The Thames crossing bring a prime example of how not to do it .
By Wislon
Even Sheffield is gagging for a bit of the action
By Anonymous
It does seem a bit mental that other countries can do this stuff and the UK just flounders about. A fundamental shift in thinking, planning and execution is needed.
By Mike
The connection between Manchester and Sheffield is from the 19th century so anything is worth exploring.
By Anonymous
Expect to see construction on this start in 15 – 20 years’ time and go wildly over budget at around 10 – 20 billion pounds (not taking into account inflation).
By Anonymous
Please just get it done
By Peter Bowden
£2 Billion to get appointed, becoming £12 Billion on Project Completion!
By LP
In the context of the climate emergency new road space is not the answer.
If needs be, a new railway, with channel tunnel style vehicle shuttles.
By Anonymous
As if this will ever happen
By Anonymous
Sounds great!! i’ll put this in the same will never happen intray as HS2, 4 tracking Oxford Road and the metrolink to Wigan / Bolton. I’d love all these to happen but we don’t get heard in the north…. over to you Mr Burnham.
By ML
£2bn for a 14 mile tunnel seems cheap. Is that just the consultant fees?
By Anon
If it was outer London area it would have been built years ago.At the same time why not open the old railway line Manchester to Sheffield via the Woodhead tunnel ?
By Paul griffiths
£2bn for a tunnel between London and Manchester?
No problem.
Sorry? £2bn for a tunnel between Sheffield and London?
Sure.
£2bn for a tunnel between Sheffield and Manchester?
Where? How about another Crossrail?
By MJC
Norway are already delivering the longest and deepest undersea road tunnel in the world by drill and blast for 2.1bn euro. Search for Rogfast tunnel. Great video on the B1M channel. Why do our government seem to be ablt to make such a balls of major infrastructure projects when our friends in Europe just get it done!?
By PMC
Just re-open the Wood head and link it to Liverpool – Manchester NPR
By Anonymous
If you want something doing right at reasonable cost, dont involve the British government, it’s quangos or councils.
By John
Great idea, the Woodhead is always a nightmare to drive.
By Anonymous
I travel over Woodhead regularly its a no Brainer I’d pay a toll get it done
By David Normanton
Why?
By Steve
There has to be a zero missing somewhere …
By MrP
Should have been in place50 years ago when Sheffield were the world leaders in steel manufacture,hardly seems worth it now as the whole country slowly goes down the tubes due to years and years of crap governments
By Anonymous
Hopefully the enormous soft costs associated with constructing anything in our planning system have been factored in already. Other than that, get it built along the reopening of the railway line!
By Anonymous
The old Woodhead rail tunnel that’s referred to in the comments is now owned by National Grid and contains HV cabling running between Manchester and Sheffield.
By Tha Knows