Drivers have been warned that a major tunnel will be closed from November until late next year to allow a £25million refurbishment to get underway.
Saltash Tunnel on the A38 in Cornwall will be closed overnight on weeknights only, from November until autumn 2025.
As part of the closure drivers will be diverted to the B3271 and North Road routes during the 8pm-6am window.
The closures form part of a refurbishment project by National Highways on the tunnel and the traffic control system which has not been modernised in over 20 years.
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Tamar Bridge will ill no longer operate on a tidal flow basis
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The tunnel will now be upgraded, including electrical distribution, new LED lighting, fans and electronic signage.
Saltash carries around 40,000 vehicles a day along the 410-metre route which has a three-lane bi-directional structure and is the only tunnel in Europe operating by tidal flow.
The tidal flow corridor relies on specialised technology, with the new funds “essential” to maintain the safe operation of the tunnel.
The current tunnel is approaching the end of its life and is being replaced and upgraded as part of an extensive programme of work to maintain safety within the tunnel and provide more reliable journeys to drivers.
Initial preparatory work, including the stripping out of old cabling, has been taking place since last autumn, in tandem with lower speeds from 70mph to 50mph between the tunnel and Carkeel roundabout.
New average speed cameras have also been installed to enforce the 30mph limit through the tunnel and on the B3271 and North Road diversion routes.
The installation of traffic signals and automatic barriers will be installed to improve safety in the event of closures and emergencies.
Julian Mitchell, National Highways’ Tunnel Manager, said: “The tunnel is safe but it is essential that we replace our systems which have been operating for 20-plus years, to make the tunnel fit for now and for the future.”
He added: “The tunnel and the tidal flow corridor rely on specialised technology to operate and keep our customers safe, there’s been a considerable amount of planning over several years to identify efficiencies and bring the tunnel’s systems up to modern standards, and ultimately this will reduce the number of future maintenance closures.”
The programme of work is expected to take 12 months to complete and will start in late November.
Between November and spring 2025, the inner westbound lane of the A38 will also be narrowed between St Budeaux and the Tamar Bridge roundabout.
From spring until scheme completion, the tunnel and bridge will no longer operate on a tidal flow basis, with fixed lanes in operation and clear directions for each lane.
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The bridge will retain its four traffic lanes
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The Tamar Bridge will retain its four traffic lanes, and until the start of the summer holidays, with one lane fixed in each direction for A38 traffic.
Mitchell commented: “The tunnel forms a key route between Plymouth and southeast Cornwall, and any work has to be carefully planned with our Tamar Bridge partners and other stakeholders.
“We appreciate the scheme will have some impact on road users and Saltash residents, but we’re keeping the closures to an absolute minimum and we thank all drivers and residents in advance for their co-operation and patience ahead of starting work on this generational upgrade.”
“We’ll be keeping local communities informed ahead of start of work and in the meantime, we advise people to prepare, plan ahead and consider a little extra time for their overnight journeys.”
