After government officials approved the opening of the former Victorian railway line, Europe will soon have its longest-running cycle lane.
Underground paths of two miles were built to carry coal from Rhondda mines to Swansea Bay in 1890. This line was also shut down along with hundreds of stations and dozens more in 1960s.
Campaigners want to restore the 3,148-metre long route and make it Europe’s longest underground bike path.
The tunnel is located in South Wales’ former mining areas. Locals were surprised to learn that it was controlled and owned by Highways England.
Grant Shapps, Transport Secretary has now pledged to transfer control to Welsh owners so that the project can go ahead.
Two-mile underground track was built to connect two Welsh valleys at the height of coal boom
Officials have cleared the way to make a former Victorian railway line Europe’s longest-running cycle lane.
In the 1960s, it was closed along with many other lines and hundreds more stations.
The route is 3,148 metres long and campaigners want to open it again. This would make it Europe’s longest underground cycling path.
Shapps stated that he would transfer the money to the Welsh Government, or to the local council with the appropriate funds.
Before 1968, the tunnel carried coal trains through the hills from Rhondda’s mines to Swansea Bay. The entrances at each end of the tunnel have long since been covered up.
This would make it the longest possible cycle tunnel in Europe, second only to the Snoqualmie Tunnel in Seattle (U.S.A.).
The tunnel is located in South Wales’ former mining areas. However, it was discovered by Highways England.
The opening date for the Rhondda Tunnel is marked by a Victoria stone inscription
The tunnel opened in 1890 during the coal boom after a five-year building project
Since then, Transport Secretary Grant Shapps promised that he would hand control over to Welsh ownership so that the project could continue.
After a five year building process, the tunnel was finally opened during the 1890 coal boom. It was managed by Sydney William Yockney (a student of Isambard Kingdom Brunel), who oversaw the project.
Chris Bryant Rhondda MP said that it could be reopened as a cycling path. This is what many people want. It would also make it the longest cycle route in Europe.
“It’d be a significant local attraction which would be beneficial for tourism and employment in an area that has terrible financial poverty.