A Government transport minister yesterday pledged to visit a disused rail tunnel campaigners hope could become a cycleway.

Under Secretary Robert Goodwill wrote to Queensbury Community, Heritage and Action Partnership to accept their invitation to visit Queensbury Tunnel.

It has not been used for over 50 years and is currently blocked and flooded.

The partnership hope to see the mile-and-a-half-long tunnel re-opened as Europe’s longest underground cycleway, creating a cycle link between Halifax and Bradford.

The Highways Agency, which is responsible for the tunnel, has a budget to make it safe and the partnersip believe this money could be spent on the project.

They have already been backed by transport charity Sustrans and hope Mr Goodwill’s visit could give a huge boost.