Brynglas Tunnels facts for kids
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| The eastern portal: entrance to west bound tunnel on left, exit of east bound tunnel on right | |
Quick facts for kids Overview |
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| Location | Newport, Wales |
| Coordinates | 51°36′12″N 2°59′51″W / 51.60325°N 2.99739°W |
| Route | M4 |
| Operation | |
| Work begun | 10 September 1962 |
| Technical | |
| Length | 360 metres (390 yd) |
| Number of lanes | 2 each way |
| Operating speed | Variable |
The Brynglas Tunnels are a pair of important tunnels in Newport, Wales. They carry the M4 under Brynglas Hill. These tunnels are about 360 meters (394 yards) long. They are special because they were the first and only twin tunnels on the UK's motorway network.
Contents
Building the Brynglas Tunnels
The idea for the tunnels came from the Newport local council in August 1959. They sent their plans to the government's transport department. Building the tunnels was a big project that cost £3 million. Work began on September 10, 1962. A famous engineer named Sir Owen Williams led the project. Both tunnels opened to traffic on May 5, 1967. Some houses nearby had to be taken down during construction. This was because the digging caused problems with their foundations.
Why Traffic Jams Happen Here
Soon after the M4 bypass around Newport opened, many more cars started using it. The road quickly became too busy. In 1982, the motorway was made wider to have three lanes in each direction. However, the Brynglas Tunnels and the nearby Usk bridge stayed as two-lane sections. This means they became a "bottleneck" where traffic slows down.
How Traffic is Managed
To help with traffic, some cars are sent on different routes. For example, cars wanting to join the M4 westbound at Junction 25 are sent on a longer route. This helps reduce the number of cars going through the tunnels. However, this can make other local roads busier during rush hour. Because of the frequent traffic jams, a special speed limit is often used near the tunnels. This limit can change depending on how busy the road is.
Plans for the Future
For many years, people talked about building a new M4 road south of Newport. This new road would help avoid the tunnels. However, in July 2009, the Welsh government decided not to build it. The A48 Southern Distributor Road is still an alternative route. In March 2012, the Welsh government looked at new ideas. One idea was to build even more tunnels to help with traffic.
Fire in the Tunnel
On July 26, 2011, a large lorry caught fire inside one of the tunnels. This caused both tunnels to close completely. The lorry caught fire as it entered the westbound tunnel. The driver tried to separate the front of the lorry from the back, but could not. As the fire grew, the lorry's tires started to explode. Another driver helped the lorry driver get to safety. Luckily, no one was seriously hurt. However, the closure caused huge traffic delays for many hours.
See also
In Spanish: Túneles Brynglas para niños
