Fears over Wrekin mining protest tunnels
Friday 6th August 2010, 11:11AM BST.
A HONEYCOMB OF tunnels dug under The Wrekin by anti-coal protesters could cave in and seriously injure walkers, it was claimed today.
It is also feared the network of tunnels could be releasing methane from the gas-rich coal which could poison visitors. The warnings were sounded by experts on a local liaison committee.
They also said the double-edged danger was putting the green campaigners themselves at risk.
The Shropshire Star revealed in May how protesters in a makeshift camp had spent weeks digging a network of tunnels under the Huntington Lane coal site near Little Wenlock.
They claimed it would stop UK Coal from bringing diggers onto the site and starting work to mine 900,000 tonnes of coal for fear of the tunnels collapsing and injuring someone.
Irresponsible
Chris Crouch, spokesman for UK Coal, branded the action at the time “irresponsible”. Now the Huntington Lane Community Liaison Committee, made up of parishioners and representatives of both Telford & Wrekin Council and UK Coal, has voiced its safety fears over the digging.
Little Wenlock Parish Council clerk John Marcham said: “We are aware that the protesters on the site are tunnelling into the ground there and into the old workings.
“The concern expressed by the experts on the committee was that, firstly, nobody knows exactly where these tunnels are or how near the surface they are.
“There is a danger anyone walking in that area could be seriously injured if a tunnel collapsed beneath them.
“Secondly, the site has historically very gaseous coal and there could be a danger of the tunnelling causing methane to leak out.
“The consequences pose a threat not only to people walking on the site but also to the tunnellers. We are not saying people should keep away from the site, only that they should be aware of the possible danger.”
Mr Marcham has published the committee’s warnings in the latest issue of the Little Wenlock Community News newsletter.
One protester, who did not want to be named, has said previously campaigners put their lives at risk by tunnel-ling, but added: “The tun- nels are a very effective way to defend a piece of land.”
By Simon Hardy
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Whilst I completely disagree with what the protesters have done in building these tunnels.(Haven’t they got jobs to go to?) Is there genuine concern or is it scare mongering to alienate the general public from the protesters.
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This article is ridiculous. How would walkers be poisoned by methane when methane is actually non-toxic?!?!?! And before anyone points out that it is explosive, it has to be in very specific concentrations in air to pose a danger of explosion and once it’s in the open air, the chances of it posing a danger is negligible.
Also, concern over tunnels collapsing is misplaced. It’s a risk to the tunnelers but these people know what they’re doing… they’re not kids armed with plastic seaside spades. They’d have to be digging massive tunnels if collapse were going to cause significant danger on the surface. At any rate, anyone walking in that area should be aware that it is an ex-mining area and though you’re unlikely to disappear down a shaft, there are still plenty of bumps and hollows to trip you up.
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Methane isn’t toxic, but in concentrated pockets, such as one might find in a tunnel, for example, it can displace air and is therefore an asphyxiant. Out in the open, however, it’s a different story. It’s implausible that it could pose any kind of threat. By suggesting otherwise, the committee has effectively destroyed any credibility it may have had.
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That was meant to be a post in its own right, not a reply. Don’t know what happened there!
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Agreed. As pointed out above, this just seems to be an attempt to cast the protesters in a bad light.
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Methane is also considerably lighter than air, so it’s not going to hang around. To be honest there’s likely to be very little present in shallow coal seams such as this – the neighbouring landfill sites pose a much greater methane hazard.
The main risk in old shallow workings is from carbon dioxide and depleted oxygen levels as a result of the slow oxidation of exposed coal – hardly a hazard to walkers but potentially lethal to those entering tunnels without proper monitoring equipment and breathing apparatus.
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Methane-don’t cows (of which there a lot of in Shropshire produce them!?)I wasn’t aware that there were tunnels under the Wrekin. Moles??? Good luck protesters but like everything the Government will ‘steam’ (appropiately) on ahead and use coal if IT wants to. I’m behind anyone that wants to preserve land (which is decreasing on a rapid basis!) Keep Shropshire Rural!!!
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They also produce C02 which ( according to the protesters ) is whats going to kill is all if we allow the mining to start.
It seems eveyone is exagerating somewhat. The truth of the matter is that the majority of the local NIMBY’s that welcomed these protesters with open arms when it suited them are now finding them a bit of an inconvenience and want them gone.
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and the next story we will hear is that some firefighter has to risk their life rescuing swampy from the tunnel.
I wonder how are the swampys getting to pay their council tax or is that quite simply a stupid question?
I think I’ve answered it myself :-)
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Could we mine the methane at the same time as the coal and provide heating for local homes?
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So if digging a few small tunnels can release a dangerous amount of methane then how much will be realeased by sending in digger to rip the top off the entire site? We live in a democracy and the protesters have every right to do what they are doing. In fact they might well have public support. The “safety” agenda is a way of getting them evicted without being accused of heavy handed tactics. It sounds more like something that would happen in China than the UK!
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” the protesters have every right to do what they’re doing “. Not if they’re doing it on somebody elses land they don’t.
The land belongs to Uk coal not the tresspassing protesters, if they wanted to save it that badly then they should have raised the money and brought it…….Thats what happens in a democracy..
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Well lads you are doing a great job with your tunnels. we need to leave the countryside alone,If people don’t demonstrate there will be no countryside left for future generations.So keep up the good work,I would join you but as a pensioner I’m past It.
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