A proposed 14-mile road tunnel beneath the Peak District, linking Manchester and Sheffield, has been put forward as part of wider ambitions to improve Greater Manchester’s transport and economic connections. Supporters say it could cut journey times, reduce traffic through the national park and strengthen links between the north west and South Yorkshire, though it remains an early-stage proposal requiring funding and approval.

The scheme, called Trans-Pennine Connect, would combine a dual-carriageway tunnel with the restoration of the former Woodhead railway line. Its backers estimate a cost of just under £2 billion, compared with £10.6 billion for an earlier shelved proposal, and say construction could begin before 2030, with the road and railway opening in the mid-2030s. The suggested approach draws on Norwegian tunnel-building methods and could potentially be financed through tolls, private investment or public-private partnerships.