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 | | Wednesday, 24 April, 2002, 02:27 GMT 03:27 UK Road tunnels get poor safety rating  The Blackwall tunnels were rated "very poor" Two road tunnels which take 50,000 vehicles a day under the River Thames in south east London have been condemned as among the worst in Europe for safety. The Blackwall northbound and southbound tunnels were rated "very poor" in a report from European motoring organisations. The report also says the tunnels pose a risk to motorists in the event of a fire because of a lack of emergency facilities. Transport for London (TfL), which is responsible for the tunnels, has questioned the study and says both tunnels have an "excellent safety record". 'No extinguishers' The European Tunnel Survey inspectors found no fire extinguishers in the Blackwall South tunnel, even though a car fire had occurred there in 2001. The report went on to say the tunnels had:
The tunnels came 28th and 29th out of the 30 surveyed. London Assembly Conservative transport spokesperson Angie Bray called on Ken Livingstone to set up an inquiry.
She said he should "ensure that motorists are not being put at risk". But TfL said the study had only taken a "cursory glance" at a checklist of items. It said it was "proud of the excellent safety record" of the two tunnels. John Dawson, policy director of the AA, which was involved in the report, said: "Once again UK drivers are getting a raw deal compared to those elsewhere in Europe. "While we are not questioning the management of these tunnels, we do take issue with the risk to motorists in the event of a fire." None of the six UK tunnels among the 30 inspected was rated "very good", although the Mersey Kingsway Tunnel in Liverpool was rated "good" and the Mersey Queensway "acceptable".
A total of three London tunnels were tested for the report, with the Dartford tunnel, linking Kent and Essex, getting an "acceptable" rating. But the Tyne Tunnel in Newcastle was also given a "poor" rating. Only three of the tunnels surveyed got a "very good" rating. These included the Mont Blanc tunnel linking France and Italy, which was the scene of a serious fire in which 39 people died three years ago. There was praise for all British tunnel operators for having strict rules on access for vehicles carrying hazardous material, well-equipped fire brigades and good video surveillance. The report made a series of recommendations:
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