Finally finished!

IT has taken 14 years, but the tunnel under the airport runway has opened to motor vehicles.

A second pedestrian tunnel alongside it will allow people to walk, cycle or scooter from Eastern Beach.

Chief Minister Fabian Picardo and his predecessor Sir Peter Caruana cut the ribbon to signal the birth of the new dual carriageway dreamt of 14 years ago. It might have turned into a nightmare with the five-year court battle against contractors OHL that paralysed work, but the final result is already improving traffic flow in the city.

Border

The stretch of dual carriageway known as Kingsway which incorporates the tunnel will stretch from the Devil’s Tower Road roundabout to the Eastgate roundabout at the border. All motor vehicles, including HGVs and motorcycles will now use the Kingsway tunnel route. And in a deal with the MoD signed before the tunnel opened, pedestrians, cyclists and scooters will still be able to cross the runway as before. In the run-up to the opening, emergency services practised for an accident in the tunnel. The Chief Minister later revealed that the final cost of the tunnel was £34 million.

Opinion Page 6

APPROVAL has been given for two new affordable public housing estates.

Chatham Views, at the site of the old Westside girls’ school will provide a total of 228 apartments with 44 flats for the elderly. It will take 30 months to complete.

SITUS Construction will build the project at the cost of £57.4 million to public coffers.

The first stage of Sir Bob Peliza Mews, at