Two Tunnels Greenway
Encyclopedia
The Two Tunnels Greenway is a shared use path for walking and cycling under construction in Bath, Somerset, England
.
from East Twerton
through the Bath suburb of Oldfield Park to the Devonshire Tunnel. It will then emerge into Lyncombe
Vale before entering the Combe Down Tunnel
, and then coming out to cross Tucking Mill Viaduct at Tucking Mill
into Midford
. The new route will link Bath and the National Cycle Route 24, 2.5 miles (4 km) south of the city.
viaduct, at the south end of the 'Two Tunnels' route, opened in 2005. Sustainable transport charity Sustrans
has met with success with its bid for National Lottery
funding to start construction of the route.
A 'Two Tunnels Steering Group' has been established, consisting of the Two Tunnels group, Bath and North East Somerset
Council and Sustrans, to ensure the route's successful development.
In June 2009 the major structures were surveyed in preparation for them to be transferred into the ownership of the local authority. The total project costs is estimated at £1.9M, with £1M coming from Sustrans who will take ownership of the three major structures and the route.
Work began in March 2010 with completion scheduled for 2011. In July 2010, the council transferred the care of the Devonshire and Combe Down tunnels to Sustrans. Development plans include the installation of artistic lighting and CCTV within the tunnels.
The fourth and final £100,000 tranche of Council funding is due in financial year 2011/12 when the tunnel will have a cycle-friendly surface, mobile phone coverage and lighting related to motion detectors. Bat-friendly LED technology is being considered as an alternative to high-pressure sodium lamps.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
.
Route
The route will follow the disused railway trackbed of the Somerset and Dorset Joint RailwaySomerset and Dorset Joint Railway
The Somerset & Dorset Joint Railway – almost always referred to as "the S&D" – was an English railway line connecting Bath in north east Somerset and Bournemouth now in south east Dorset but then in Hampshire...
from East Twerton
Twerton
Twerton is a suburb of the city of Bath, Somerset, England, situated to the west of the city, and home to the city's football club, Bath City....
through the Bath suburb of Oldfield Park to the Devonshire Tunnel. It will then emerge into Lyncombe
Lyncombe, Bath
Lyncombe is a district and electoral ward in Bath, Somerset and a former parish in the Diocese of Bath and Wells. In the mid-19th century the parish was formed when the parish of Widcombe and Lyncombe was split in two, but it was abolished in the late 1960s...
Vale before entering the Combe Down Tunnel
Combe Down Tunnel
Combe Down Tunnel is on the now-closed Somerset and Dorset Joint Railway main line, between Midford and Bath Queen Square, below high ground and the southern suburbs of Bath, England, emerging below the southern slopes of Combe Down village....
, and then coming out to cross Tucking Mill Viaduct at Tucking Mill
Tucking Mill
Tucking Mill is a small hamlet within the parish of Monkton Combe, Somerset, England. It lies on Midford Brook and was a key point on the now disused Somerset Coal Canal....
into Midford
Midford
Midford is a village approximately miles south south east of Bath, Somerset, England within the Cotswold Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty...
. The new route will link Bath and the National Cycle Route 24, 2.5 miles (4 km) south of the city.
History
NCN24, crossing MidfordMidford
Midford is a village approximately miles south south east of Bath, Somerset, England within the Cotswold Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty...
viaduct, at the south end of the 'Two Tunnels' route, opened in 2005. Sustainable transport charity Sustrans
Sustrans
Sustrans is a British charity to promote sustainable transport. The charity is currently working on a number of practical projects to encourage people to walk, cycle and use public transport, to give people the choice of "travelling in ways that benefit their health and the environment"...
has met with success with its bid for National Lottery
National Lottery (United Kingdom)
The National Lottery is the state-franchised national lottery in the United Kingdom and the Isle of Man.It is operated by Camelot Group, to whom the licence was granted in 1994, 2001 and again in 2007. The lottery is regulated by the National Lottery Commission, and was established by the then...
funding to start construction of the route.
A 'Two Tunnels Steering Group' has been established, consisting of the Two Tunnels group, Bath and North East Somerset
Bath and North East Somerset
Bath and North East Somerset is a unitary authority that was created on 1 April 1996 following the abolition of the County of Avon. It is part of the Ceremonial county of Somerset...
Council and Sustrans, to ensure the route's successful development.
In June 2009 the major structures were surveyed in preparation for them to be transferred into the ownership of the local authority. The total project costs is estimated at £1.9M, with £1M coming from Sustrans who will take ownership of the three major structures and the route.
Work began in March 2010 with completion scheduled for 2011. In July 2010, the council transferred the care of the Devonshire and Combe Down tunnels to Sustrans. Development plans include the installation of artistic lighting and CCTV within the tunnels.
The fourth and final £100,000 tranche of Council funding is due in financial year 2011/12 when the tunnel will have a cycle-friendly surface, mobile phone coverage and lighting related to motion detectors. Bat-friendly LED technology is being considered as an alternative to high-pressure sodium lamps.
See also
- National Cycle NetworkNational Cycle NetworkThe National Cycle Network is a network of cycle routes in the United Kingdom.The National Cycle Network was created by the charity Sustrans , and aided by a £42.5 million National Lottery grant. In 2005 it was used for over 230 million trips.Many routes hope to minimise contact with motor...
- Combe DownCombe DownCombe Down is a village suburb of Bath, England in the Bath and North East Somerset unitary authority within the ceremonial county of Somerset. Combe Down sits on a ridge above and about 1.5 miles to the south of Bath city centre. "Combe" or "coombe" is a West Country word meaning a steep-sided...
- Combe Down TunnelCombe Down TunnelCombe Down Tunnel is on the now-closed Somerset and Dorset Joint Railway main line, between Midford and Bath Queen Square, below high ground and the southern suburbs of Bath, England, emerging below the southern slopes of Combe Down village....
- Bath, Somerset