Jersey tunnel to be closed for smoke test

The tunnel will be closed to drivers and pedestrians at 19:00 on Tuesday

Fort Regent Tunnel will temporarily close to the public due to a smoke test, according to the Government of Jersey.

The test will take place on Tuesday from 19:00 GMT and reopen at 06:00 on Wednesday.

The government said islanders did not need to be alarmed if they saw smoke coming out of the tunnel as it would be part of the simulation.

A spokesperson said: "The smoke attenuation test simulates the heat and smoke from a fire, helping to understand how quickly the tunnel fills with smoke and how long it would take to evacuate."

Steel panelling removal

They added: "This will assist the emergency plans and identify if any additional safety equipment such as ventilation equipment is required."

A further emergency lighting test will take place on Thursday between 09:30 and 11:00, with the mains power to be cut to test the performance of the back-up batteries.

The road would remain fully open during this time, a government spokesperson confirmed.

But the tunnel is due to close again between 27 January and 7 February, only overnight, between 19:00 and 06:00, Monday to Thursday.

This was to allow steel panelling to be removed from within the tunnel so structural engineers could conduct a routine survey of the concrete lining of the tunnel, officials said.