Work finally begins on the Bath Two Tunnels route -

Four years since its inception, the Bath Two Tunnels scheme – which will open up the Combe Down and Devonshire Tunnels as part of a walking and cycling route from Midford into Bath - finally starts construction this Monday. Contractors will begin work to excavate and reopen the Devonshire Tunnel’s northern portal and create links on both sides.

Former councilor, Gitte Dawson, who has been chairing the Two Tunnels Steering Group which brings Council, Sustrans and the Two Tunnels Group together in implementing this scheme, said
“I am excited that we are finally putting the first spade in the ground! Lots of people have done a great deal of campaigning, fundraising, planning and publicising to get to this point. I look forward to cycling through the tunnels myself next year."

Cllr Roger Symonds (LibDem Combe Down ward) said,
"This is a red letter day for those who mourn the passing of the old railway line. It marks the start of a revival of cycling in Bath. There must be more improvements to follow Two Tunnels if Bath is to become a "cycling city".

Cllr Neil Butters (LibDem Bathavon South) said,
“I would like to congratulate Sustrans and the Two Tunnels Group on a fantastic achievement. This project will take a significant slice of traffic off the roads, enabling people from Wellow and beyond to commute into Bath by bike and giving people in Bath ready access to the countryside.”

The Two Tunnels scheme is a £1.9million route that will turn a four-mile stretch of disused railway line into a walking and cycling path linking Bath and Midford. The scheme will renovate the disused Tucking Mill viaduct and open up the two long tunnels, of which one (Combe Down) is over a mile long, connecting the town and countryside for everyday journeys by foot and bike. With overwhelming support from people in and around Bath, the virtually flat route along the old Somerset and Dorset Railway Line will bring together the communities of Bath, Midford and all the places in between. Walkers and cyclists will experience two illuminated tunnels and a magnificent viaduct along the route that provides an inspiring yet practical link between town and country, with its unique blend of industrial heritage, wildlife and geology. The route will also link to the successful Colliers Way in the South and the Bath-Bristol cycleway in the West and create a great round-trip cycle opportunity between Bath and Midford, including the path along the Kennet & Avon Canal. On the 6th March it is the 44th anniversary of the closure of the line.

The partners in this scheme are the community-led ‘Two Tunnels Group’, Bristol based charity Sustrans, and Bath & North East Somerset Council, with the route's grand opening expected by the end of 2011. The Two Tunnels Greenway is one of 79 exciting Sustrans Connect2 schemes across the UK, using a total of £50m of lottery funding, of which this scheme will receive £1m. The remainder of the funding will be coming from BathNES Council and from local fundraising.

Further information about Sustrans, including other news releases and detailed online route mapping, is available through our website: www.sustrans.org.uk