National Grid plan to run cables through a disused rail tunnel that crosses the Peak District National Park. If they go ahead, the tunnel could no longer be used as a railway, despite there having been several proposals in the last 10 years to do just that (Central Railways, Arriva, and Translink–all rejected by the Government!) That would be a big mistake.

MPs and local people are trying to persuade the government to intervene, to protect the route so that it could, in future, be re-opened and provide much-needed passenger and rail-freight services connecting the east and west sides of the Pennines.

See recent article in the Guardian Please act quickly as the National Grid work is scheduled to start in January 2008.

We need MPs across the country to sign Early Day Motion (EDM) 459 calling on the Government to intervene and help safeguard the Woodhead Tunnel for future rail use. Campaign for Better Transport have set up an easy e-action form on their website.

Click here to write/send an e-mail to your MP asking them to sign EDM 459:

Plus there’s a petition online calling for the railway to be reopened: Visit the Save Woodhead Tunnel website.