Anyone that has entered Gibraltar by foot or by road will know that it can sometimes be a bit of a lottery when it comes to getting across. Not because it is fraught with danger, but because of timing it when a plane it not about to land or take off. If you do happen to time it around one of these two events, you will find yourself held up in a queue, which during the summer, or the peak ‘rush hour’ times, can be fairly substantial.
For the past 15 years there has been a major project taking place below the runway and at last, in what is said to be just a few weeks, the new tunnel running beneath the Gibraltar Airport runway is set to open.
This will mean for the first time since Gibraltar was opened up to be able to cross to or from Spain, traffic will no longer need to go across the runway.
The new tunnel will stretch some 350 metres below ground and will make a huge difference to the build-up of traffic during flight times. The announcement went as far as stating that the Gibraltar runway tunnel will open before the next meeting of the parliament.
Many people simply assumed the tunnel was just a ‘pie in the sky’ project since it was announced back in 2008. Completion dates have passed and delays were high in number and excuses were made almost every year as to why it was not happening. However, it really does appear to be a reality now and in a few weeks, traffic will pass beneath the runway.
It should be noted that pedestrians and cyclists will still cross above ground, so these hold ups for planes taking off and landing at Gibraltar Airport will still be something to be endured.