long-awaited Gibraltar runway tunnel to open within weeks

It has taken around 15 years to build, but at last drivers will no longer have to stop and wait while planes land and take off

The tunnel beneath the airport runway in Gibraltar should be open within a few weeks, chief minister Fabian Picardo said in response to a question raised in parliament on Wednesday.

This will be welcome news for drivers, because it will mean that traffic no longer has to cross the runway and will not be held up when planes land or take off.

By the time the 350-metre tunnel, which will be known as the Eastside Tunnel, is open, the project will have taken nearly 15 years to complete since the initial contract was awarded in 2008.

The chief minister said it would be open before the next meeting of the Gibraltar parliament takes place.

The project has been plagued with setbacks and delays and several completion dates have been indicated over the years but have come and gone.

Gibraltar is one of the few places in the world where traffic and pedestrians have to cross an airport runway to gain access or to exit, but as the longawaited tunnel will be for traffic only when it opens, those on foot and cyclists will still be able to enjoy this unusual experience.