Five tunnels are known to run under the River Tyne below the bridges at Newcastle. They are, respectively, from West to East:

• a services tunnel from Wallsend to Hebburn.
• the cyclists' and pedestrians' tunnels (counted as two) from Willington Quay, North Shields, to Jarrow.
• the present road tunnel adjacent to the above.
• a water services tunnel adjacent to the above.

Existing tunnels

The cyclists' and pedestrians' tunnels were constructed under the Tyne Tunnel Act of 1946 and opened in 1951. They contained what were then the longest escalators in Europe. These now function only at peak hours. The tunnels are also equipped with small lifts which run 24 hours a day. These tunnels are administered by the Tyne and Wear Passenger Transport Authority (PTA).

The present road tunnel was constructed under the Tyne Tunnel Act of 1960 and opened in 1967. It was designed for 24,000 vehicles a day, and now carries up to 36,000 vehicles a day. Queues form at the toll booths at peak times. The charges for cars to pass through the tunnel were raised in August 2001 from 80p to £1.00 . The road tunnel is also administered by the PTA.

A water service tunnel administered by Northumbrian Water carries sewage in three pipes from South Tyneside to the Howdon treatment works and runs near to the route for the proposed new tunnel.

Proposed new tunnel

The current proposal for a second Tyne road tunnel has been the subject of various studies for several years. These studies concerned various options for crossing the river as well as the best route for a new road tunnel. Originally an additional two-lane tunnel adjacent to the present road tunnel was selected, although later a proposal for a four-lane new tunnel option was explored. This option was rejected mainly on the grounds of cost in May 2001.

The proposed second tunnel, in conjunction with the present tunnel, would provide two lanes each way under the river for traffic on the A19. The tunnels would also convey local traffic.

Southbound traffic using the new tunnel would have to arrive on the A19 or join the A19 from the A193. A new plaza would be built for southbound traffic and the existing plaza and system of access roads retained and improved for north bound traffic. Two alternative roundabout and access road systems are proposed for the south ends of the tunnels, one of which mainly affects residents of Simonside. The other scheme is more compact and mainly affects residents of Jarrow.

Sequence of events

• May 2002 - An application for an Order was made to the Secretary of State. Everyone had 42 days in which to register objections. Over 600 objections were lodged. In conjtrast, less than two hundred were lodged backing the scheme.
• Deputy Prime Minister then had 28 days in which to decide whether to call a Public Inquiry. He asked for more time, and when that had elapsed he announced that a public inquiry would be held - a major victory for the Alliance.
• Early 2003 - public inquiry will be held. No decision has been made public of a date or venue for the inquiry, but it must be held within six months of John Prescott's decision - ie no later than 20th March 2003.

The anticipated completion date, if the tunnel works are approved is currently set at late 2007, but has been put back and back as opposition to the plans has mounted. If we are defeated at public inquiry we do not anticipate the completion of the project before 2008 at the earliest.