Dozens of voices echoed through a quiet corner of West Yorkshire this weekend as around 150 campaigners gathered at the entrance to Queensbury Tunnel, urging the government to reverse plans to permanently seal the historic Victorian structure.
The protest, held close to the 1.4-mile-long former railway tunnel near Bradford, brought together local residents, cyclists, heritage supporters and campaigners from across the country.
Many had travelled significant distances to make their feelings known about a decision they believe wastes public money and shuts down a once-in-a-generation opportunity for the region.
For more than a decade, the Queensbury Tunnel Society (QTS) has been working on proposals to transform the disused tunnel into a traffic-free greenway for walkers and cyclists, creating a direct link between Bradford, Calderdale and surrounding communities. Supporters say the route would provide a safe, accessible corridor for active travel while unlocking major social, economic and tourism benefits.
Those plans were dealt a major blow in July 2025, when the government confirmed the tunnel would instead be filled in, at a projected cost of £7.5m.
Ministers cited concerns over affordability, with National Highways estimating restoration would cost £22m. That figure has been disputed by engineering consultancy AECOM, which assessed the work at £6.9m.
At the protest, banners calling for the tunnel to be saved lined the entrance, while cyclists stood alongside families and older residents who remember the structure as a symbol of the area’s industrial heritage. Many described the decision as baffling.
One local resident was quoted by the BBC saying that the tunnel represented “a missed chance to do something genuinely positive”
“We’re not asking for something extravagant. We’re asking for investment that would pay back for generations, instead of burying history and locking people out.”
Another protestor, who had travelled from the south of England, said the issue went far beyond Bradford. “This isn’t just about one tunnel. It’s about how we value sustainable transport, heritage and communities. If this can happen here, it can happen anywhere.”
Naz Shah, Labour MP for Bradford West, attended the gathering and told campaigners she believed restoring the tunnel would cost less than filling it in. She described the decision was short-sighted and failed to recognise the long-term benefits the greenway would bring to local people.
Fellow Bradford Labour MP Judith Cummins also backed the campaign, describing the tunnel as a rare and valuable asset that should be protected for future generations.
QTS has repeatedly argued that the greenway proposal would deliver £3 in social, economic and tourism benefits for every £1 invested, citing increased physical activity, reduced car use and new visitor numbers. Campaigners also point out that National Highways has already spent £7.2m between 2018 and 2021 strengthening the tunnel to prevent collapse and to safeguard future options.
Despite this, Lilian Greenwood, the government’s minister for local transport, wrote to QTS earlier this month stating she was not in a position to commit further public funds to the project, describing it as an “unfunded aspiration”.
QTS leader Norah McWilliam said the protest showed the strength of feeling against the plans. She accused the government of opting for what she called “abandonment on the cheap” and questioned how sealing the tunnel could be justified when it would deliver no social or economic return. “If the priority is improving people’s lives in tangible ways, this decision makes no sense,” she said.
She added that the campaign would continue to rely on public pressure. “We need people to keep speaking up, writing to MPs and making it clear this is the wrong use of public money. The response we’ve seen today shows this is not something people are prepared to quietly accept.”
National Highways has said it will now begin work to stabilise the tunnel following the government’s decision. While the organisation has stated it will not demolish or infill the structure, campaigners say the proposed works would make it inaccessible and permanently rule out conversion into a greenway.
Bradford Council has confirmed that once amended proposals are formally submitted, councillors will be consulted on the plans. For protestors gathered at Queensbury Tunnel, however, the message was already clear: they believe the tunnel should be reopened, not sealed, and say they will continue to fight until every option has been exhausted.
