The first HS2 tunnel to be completed was visited by transport secretary Mark Harper, who celebrated the major milestone of the multi-billion-pound scheme.
Mr Harper, along with chief executive of HS2 Ltd Mark Thurston, drove through the one-mile tunnel, situated 33 metres below ground, seven months after work started on the structure.
“It was absolutely extraordinary to see first-hand the sheer scale and craftmanship of this monumental project which will positively transform the lives of hundreds of thousands of people across the North and Midlands,” the MP stated.
A 2,000-tonne tunnel boring machine was first used on the project in July.
Mr Thurston said the completion of the tunnel in just a few months demonstrates the “unstoppable momentum” of the initiative.
The tunnel, which measures ten metres in diameter, will allow HS2 trains to travel underneath Long Itchington Wood in Warwickshire to avoid damaging the ancient forest.
As a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), it has ecosystems that have been established over hundreds of years, which is why the tunnel was built to help HS2 manage its environmental impact.
HS2 also recently revealed ten of its construction sites have become fully diesel-free, beating its original 2022 target of one. This will help achieve its goal of all construction sites being diesel-free by 2029.
It has managed to do this by using a combination of mains electricity, renewable energy, biofuels, and fully electric vehicles. Three of the diesel-free sites are located in London, while the rest are in the Chilterns and Colne Valley.
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