History About The Tyne Tunnel.

The Tyne Tunnel is the name given to two 2-lane vehicular toll tunnels under the River Tyne in North East England. Originally opened in 1967 and expanded in 2011, the tunnels connect the town of Jarrow on the south bank of the river with North Shields and Wallsend on the northern side. The tunnels are approximately 7 miles (11 km) downstream, to the east of Newcastle upon Tyne. The Tyne Tunnel constitutes a part of the A19 road. The vehicle tunnel is 5,500 feet (1,700 metres) long and has a diameter of 31 ft 3 in (9.5 m) with a roadbed 24 ft (7.3 m). It was built by Edmund Nuttall Limited and was opened by Queen Elizabeth II on 19 October 1967, but commenced operational use only in 1968, on completion of the northern link roads. It was designed to handle 25,000 vehicles per day. The original toll for cars was 2s 6d (12.5p). On completion of the second Tyne road tunnel, which opened with a single lane in each direction, the original 1967 Tyne Tunnel closed in February 2011 for a complete revamp, which included the installation of a safety corridor throughout its length. Once this work was complete, it reopened in November 2011 as the northbound tunnel, leaving the new tunnel to handle southbound traffic.