Burton Green Tunnel
Burton Green Tunnel will stretch for 700 metres through Warwickshire at Burton Green and Kenilworth Greenway. It is one of five green tunnels, which are shallower tunnels that will be finished with trees, plants, and shrubs on top – helping them blend into the natural landscape that are being built.
New designs, now being shared with the local community, show how the roof of the tunnel will integrate seamlessly with the existing landscape. They also include enhanced environmental features such as extensive tree planting, new footpaths, and better connections to local woods.
Tunnel construction
Construction of the tunnel is now 50% complete with 150 people supporting the build process. The 200-metre southern entrance of HS2’s Burton Green Tunnel has been completed with over 160 roof segments, each weighing over 20 tonnes, installed.
The entrance features a series of vents in the roof, which transition HS2 trains leaving and entering the tunnel. The pressured air wave produced by the ‘piston effect’ of the train moving through the tunnel will be channelled through the vents.
To avoid unnecessary movements of heavy goods vehicles, the soil generated by the excavation will be used as part of the wider landscaping plans in the area, sensitively integrating the railway into the local area, reconnecting wildlife habitats and enhancing biodiversity.
Slide 1 of 4: Aerial view of the Burton Green Tunnel.
Slide 2 of 4: View from within the Burton Green Tunnel.
Slide 3 of 4: Inside the Burton Green Tunnel.
Slide 4 of 4: View from within the Burton Green Tunnel.
Kenilworth Greenway
A key feature for this area is the realignment of the Kenilworth Greenway, which provides a link from Burton Green to Kenilworth and Berkswell for walkers, cyclists and horse-riders.
While the railway is being built, a temporary route for the Kenilworth Greenway has been created. It starts at the site of the new Burton Green Village Hall and then follows the existing field boundaries linking with Berkswell Station in the northwest. Once construction and landscape work is complete, the Greenway will be restored close to its original alignment, running across the top of the new tunnel.
Large-scale planting of native trees and shrubs will provide biodiverse habitats for wildlife, shield the Greenway visibly from the new railway, and re-establish vegetated connections to Black Waste Wood and Little Poors Wood.
Slide 1 of 8: Artist's impression of a bird's eye view of the Burton Green Tunnel and tunnel roof.
Slide 2 of 8: Cutting from the green tunnel's north portal with Greenway alongside the railway.
Slide 3 of 8: Artist's impression of Waste Lane Overbridge with Greenway alongside the railway.
Slide 4 of 8: Artist's impression of Kenilworth Greenway and Cromwell Lane underpass.
Slide 5 of 8: Artist's impression through the Cromwell Lane underpass.
Slide 6 of 8: Artist's impression of the South Portal and portal building.
Slide 7 of 8: Artist's impression of Kenilworth Greenway and Cromwell Lane underpass (3).
Slide 8 of 8: Artist's impression of Kenilworth Greenway from Cromwell Lane.