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UK tunnel danger
Page 8
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• Four of the UK's busiest tunnels have been named among the most dangerous in Europe, in a survey by German motoring organisation ADAC.
In its Eurotest 2003 review of 25 tunnels across 12 European countries, the two Blackwell tunnels, Rotherhithe tunnel and the Tyne in Newcastle—which between them carry 170,000 vehicles daily—were all rated poor or worse. All appeared in the bottom 10 when rated for acceptability The inspectors found modern safety features such as automatic operation of ventilation systems, separate escape routes, fire cabling, loudspeakers and adequately soundproofed phones missing in UK tunnels. By contrast, two-thirds of those checked on the Continent were rated acceptable or above.
Bert Morris, deputy director
of the AA Motoring Trust, says that urgent action needs to be taken before a disaster strikes. 'UK drivers are not well served compared with those in Europe. Management of UK tunnels is very good—it is what managers have to operate that is so poor. London's tunnels in particular are old; the north-bound Blackwell tunnel was built in 1897 for horses and carts, and the Rotherhithe opened in 1905. Both need major refurbishment.
"The government must earmark some of the £50m annual revenue from its continued tolling of the M25 Dartford Crossing to improve London's tunnels. And the safety of drivers should be the number one consideration in its debate on building a second Tyne tunnel."
The highest rated tunnel was the Weserauen near Minden, Germany. This was opened in 2002.