A. The Tyne Tunnel does not get any financial help from Central Government, unlike the other crossings of the Tyne. It has to cover its running costs and repay the Government for the money that was borrowed for its construction.

Q. Would more toll booths reduce the queues of traffic at the tunnel?

A. No. The queues of traffic experienced at the tunnel form because the number of lanes available in the tunnel for the traffic wishing to use it are insufficient. Even if there were more toll booths the numbers of vehicles passing through the tunnel during peak hours would not increase and so the queues would still form.

Q. Will the immersed tube affect shipping on the river?

A. No. The tubes that will form the new tunnel will lie below the dredge depth of the River Tyne agreed with the Port of Tyne Authority.

Q. What is an immersed tube tunnel? And are there any others in Britain/Europe?

A. An immersed tube tunnel is a tunnel made up of a number of 'tube' units which are constructed in a dry dock and floated out to their final location and then sunk. The tube units are then fastened together and covered over for protection. The technique has many advantages over the driven tunnel(like the Channel Tunnel for example) and has been used to form numerous tunnels in Europe - the most recent being the Oresund crossing between Denmark and Sweden which was opened in June 2000. There are two examples in Britain at Medway and Conwy.

Q. How are the sections of immersed tube tunnel joined together and made water tight?

A. The immersed tube units have temporary bulk-heads installed for their journey between the dry dock construction area and their permanent location. These have guiding mechanisms fitted to allow adjoining units to be located so that the sealing membranes engage. Once this has been successfully done the water between the two adjacent bulk-heads is pumped out to create a vacuum. The water pressure on the tubes then squeezes the tubes together to make the seal water-tight. The tubes are eventually locked into position at the two ends of the immersed tube tunnel where it meets structures produced by conventional construction methods.

Q. Will it be possible to build over the new tunnel?

A. Yes if it is decided that this is a requirement but it will make the tunnel more expensive to construct and could affect the toll that would have to be charged to pass through the tunnel.

Q. What will the areas over the tunnel be used for after construction?

A. This has not been decided yet. The planning Authorities affected by the New Tyne Crossing will need to come to view on the eventual land use along the tunnel corridor.

Q. Can the new tunnel be used for a Metro link?

A. This has been considered but has been found not to be feasible. This is largely because of the shape of the land on the banks of the Tyne at this location, the depth below the river that the tunnel will have to achieve and the height of the adjacent Metro lines and stations. These factors make it nearly impossible to do and would inevitably involve an inordinate expense.

Q. What other options for the new crossing have been considered?

A. A feasibility report which was commissioned by the local authorities on Tyneside together with the DETR(formerly the Department of Transport ) to study the options available to form a crossing on the A19 corridor. The study looked at a bored tunnel option and a number of bridge options. The bridge options were very expensive and required the adoption of un-tried designs because of the spans and opening/clearance criteria that would be imposed be the Port of Tyne Authority.

Q. What is a Concessionaire?

A. This is the person, company or consortia of companies that will be given the contract to operate the existing tunnels, prepare the design for the new crossing, secure the funding for the construction of the tunnel and operate all the tunnels once the contract for this service has been finalised.

Q. Will the tolls have to rise and why?

A. Yes the tolls will have to rise to meet the financing costs involved in realising a new tunnel between East Howdon and Jarrow.

Q. Why does the TWPTA need a Concessionaire?

A. The TWPTA could not raise sufficient capital monies to be able to finance such a massive civil engineering project. Also the TWPTA does not have the technical expertise and resources to advise on the myriad of issues that will have to addressed as part of the development of the project.

Q. Will houses adjacent to the proposed tunnel get noise insulation?

A. It is envisaged that the Noise Insulation Regulations 1975 will apply. This means that surveys wiil be done and any properties that have been found to comply with the 1975 Act criteria will be offered noise insulation.

Q. Why are the Engineer and the other TWPTA Chief Officers for the Tyne Tunnel employed by Newcastle City Council?

A. The reason goes back to the abolition of the former Tyne and Wear County Council in 1986. Each of the five Tyne and Wear Metropolitan District Councils took responsibility for a function of the former County Council that was to continue on a countywide basis. Newcastle was given responsibility for administering the Passenger Transport Authority which is responsible for the operation and upkeep of the Tyne Tunnels.

Q. Will the road layouts at the tunnel entrances change and will the toll booths position change?

A. There will need to be new toll booths for the south bound A19 traffic. These will be located approx ¼ mile from the existing booths and approx ¼ mile south of the A19/A193 junction. North bound traffic could use the existing the toll booths but the decision whether or not to do so or to provide new toll booths will rest with the Concessionaire. There will be a need to amend the road layouts on both banks of the Tyne for two reasons :

• To cater for the A19 traffic to flow freely into the Tyne Tunnel without having to negotiate junctions
  
  
• The line of the new tunnel will make it necessary for south bound traffic from the East Howdon/ riverside areas to access the tunnel from the A193 junction.

Q. What will happen to the pedestrian/cyclist tunnels when the Concessionaire is appointed?

A. The TWPTA aim is that these tunnels - which are now Grade 2 Listed Buildings - be retained as a free facility. The tunnel will be part of the Concession Agreement and their upkeep will be met from the toll levied on the use of the vehicle tunnels.

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