Year-long roadworks planned for Saltash tunnel

The 36-year-old Saltash tunnel is being upgraded

The second phase of a major engineering operation to improve the A38 Saltash tunnel in Cornwall is due to begin later this autumn.

The work is part of a £20m project to modernise the tunnel, and will include improvements to the electrical systems, new LED lighting, as well as fans and signage, said National Highways.

The tunnel will be closed to traffic overnight on weekdays between November until Autumn 2025 to allow the work to take place.

Highways bosses said the project was expected to take 12 months to complete, with traffic diversions in operation.

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.

"Ultimately this will reduce the number of future maintenance closures.”

Preparatory work, including the stripping out of old cabling, has been taking place since last autumn.

New average speed cameras have also been recently installed to enforce the 30mph limit through the tunnel.

The 36-year-old, 410m (1,345 ft) long tunnel bypasses the town of Saltash and carries around 40,000 vehicles a day.