A38 Saltash Tunnel technology upgrade

Latest updates

• 13 December 2024

  Upcoming overnight closures

  We’re carrying out a major £25million technology upgrade of the A38 Saltash Tunnel. The works will help keep journeys safe, reliable and reduce the risk of unplanned closures.

  Preparatory works for the scheme have been underway for several months. After detailed planning, we’re now able to share more information on the start of next year’s works.

  Upcoming works

  December 2024

  Ongoing preparatory works - overnight tunnel closures 

  There will be a series of overnight tunnel closures in December to enable further preparatory works to take place. The tunnel will be closed overnight from 8pm – 6am.

  Please see revised dates below:

  Overnight works continue this week finishing at 6am, Saturday 14 December.

  • Monday 16 December – 6am, Friday 20 December.
  • Please follow the usual diversion route via the B3271 and North Road.

  Starting mid / late January until Winter 2025 / 2026

  Overnight tunnel closures 

  Starting mid / late January, the tunnel will be closed in both directions on weeknights (8pm – 6am). Traffic will use local diversion routes. The tunnel will be open as normal during the day and at weekends.

  By closing the tunnel only at night, we can reduce the impact on the local community and drivers.

  Diversions

  The diversion route used will depend on the works taking place:

  • Diversion A: via North Road and the B3271
  • Diversion B: a slightly longer diversion route from / to Carkeel roundabout via the B3271 and North Road.

  We will communicate in advance on our website which diversion route is in operation.

  In addition, for a short period during this time, one lane will also be narrowed on the eastern approach to the Tamar Bridge. The narrowing of the lane will give us the working space needed to install new signage without the need for full closures. 

  Occasionally, the works may generate some noise for which we apologise. 

  We understand that overnight works can be frustrating, but we thank you for your continued understanding while these essential works take place.

  Please plan ahead and allow extra time for your journeys while these essential upgrade works take place. 

  As with any complex scheme, dates are subject to change. As we move through the scheme, dates will be announced and kept up to date on this webpage.

  Please check online for the latest information. You can also sign up via this page to receive notifications when new information has been added. In addition, you can also check our daily closures page or find live travel information on our Traffic England website.

  We continue to work closely with a wide range of stakeholders while we confirm the programme of works for next year. We will share this information with you once it becomes available. 

  We apologise in advance for any inconvenience caused but thank you for your continued understanding. 

• 29 November 2024

  A38 Saltash Tunnel technology upgrade

  Starting early in 2025, we’ll be undertaking a major modernisation upgrade of the A38 Saltash Tunnel in Cornwall.

  This represents a £25 million investment from National Highways to improve journeys and maintain the safe operation of the tunnel for many years to come. 

  These essential upgrade works will help to: 

  • keep everyone using the tunnel safe
  • provide more reliable journeys
  • reduce the risk of unplanned closures

  To get ready for the start of next year’s scheme, we need to undertake some preparatory works within the tunnel.

  This will include surveys, trial holing, manhole replacement and gully repairs. These works will be undertaken via weeknight overnight tunnel closures, from 8pm – 6am. 

  Upcoming overnight tunnel closures

  The tunnel will be closed overnight from 8pm – 6am. Please see revised dates:

  • Monday 9 December – Saturday 14 December
  • Monday 16 December – Friday 20 December 

  Please follow the standard diversion route via the B3271 and North Road.

  We apologise for any inconvenience these overnight closures may cause but thank you for your continued understanding. 

  We are now in the final stages of fine-tuning the programme of works for next year’s scheme which includes the associated traffic management plans. The works will continue to be phased, and we will share full details as soon possible.

  Please remember that closures can change at short notice. You can check the latest information on our daily closures page or find live travel information on our Traffic England. Our travel alerts give details of live incidents on our network.

• 17 October 2024

  Latest plans, key dates and traffic management

  We’re undertaking a major modernisation upgrade of the A38 Saltash Tunnel in Cornwall. This represents a £25 million investment from National Highways to improve journeys and maintain the safe operation of the tunnel for many years to come. 

  These essential upgrade works will help to: 

  • keep everyone using the tunnel safe
  • provide more reliable journeys
  • reduce the risk of unplanned closures

  We’ve been undertaking preparatory works within the tunnel over the past year. This includes:

  • the identification, tagging and removal of old cabling from within the tunnel ducts
  • cleaning, jetting and re-roping the cable ducts
  • removal of cladding panels to survey for the new tunnel gantries
  • installation of new fibre optics under the Tamar Bridge

  These works will continue over the coming months as planned. The preparatory works should also help to prevent future delays with the scheme as possible, unforeseen issues will have been identified and resolved during these works. Most of these preparatory works can be completed with the tunnel open for traffic. However, we will need carry out some of the works under nighttime tunnel closures. We will provide advance notice of these closures when dates are confirmed.

  As with any complex scheme, dates are subject to change while commercial and programming decisions are finalised. Until these final details have been confirmed we won’t be starting the civils work required on the approaches to the tunnel and the Tamar Bridge. While this means we won’t be starting this phase as soon as we’d hoped, we will still be moving forward with the preparatory works.

  We are now fine-tuning the programme of works for the scheme which includes the associated traffic management plans. The works will continue to be phased, and we will share full details as soon possible.

  Current proposed key dates and traffic management

  Please note, these are subject to change as the programme and approach is refined.

  Early 2025 to late 2025

  The tunnel will be closed in both directions on weeknights with traffic using local diversion routes.

  By closing the tunnel only at night, we can reduce the impact on the local community and drivers.

  During this period, for a time, one lane will be narrowed on the eastern approach to the Tamar Bridge.

  Summer 2025 for 5 months

  ‘The Switch-off’. The tunnel and bridge will no longer operate on a tidal flow basis.

  Fixed lanes will be in operation with clear directions for each lane, until work is complete.

  Further information

  We'll update this page with more details about the works including weeknight tunnel closures, lane closures, and speed restrictions, as the scheme progresses.

  If you have any questions, call us on 0300 123 5000 or email info@nationalhighways.co.uk

• 19 September 2024

  Work to start in late November 2024

  We’re working with local stakeholders including the MP, councils, Derriford Hospital, Network Rail and GWR, as well as our construction partners to refine our delivery plan for these essential renewals.

  The feedback we’ve gathered is helping to shape how we deliver this complex and extensive programme of work, while minimising the impact on the local community and everyone who uses the tunnel. 

  We’ll be completing our work in phases using a mix of lane and full closures, starting at the end of November with weeknight closures of the tunnel. These will continue until the work is finished. 

  There will then be speed restrictions and narrow lanes being installed westbound between St Budeaux and the Tamar Bridge from early 2025 to allow work to be carried out in the verges.

  In early to mid-2025, the current control system will need to be turned off and removed to allow installation of the new system. This means there will only be one lane open in each direction for A38 traffic through the tunnel, which will be fixed as the traffic can no longer be dynamically controlled. 

  The Tamar Bridge will retain its four traffic lanes. There will be one lane fixed in each direction for A38 traffic, a lane dedicated for Saltash Town only in the westbound direction and the eastbound cantilever open for local and ‘tag only’ traffic.

  Please note: all enquiries should be directed to National Highways, and not to Tamar Bridge which is independently owned and operated by Cornwall Council and Plymouth City Councils.