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Wednesday, 24 October, 2001, 17:47 GMT 18:47 UK
Gotthard: Main Alpine link
![]() The Gotthard Road Tunnel, scene of the latest Alpine tunnel accident, is the main north-south route through the Alps, between Italy and Switzerland.
The Swiss authorities rate the Gotthard link as safe, but the fact that no central barrier divides the two lanes of traffic heading in opposing directions has prompted concerns before. Calls for the erection of a barrier and the expansion of the tunnel are likely to be renewed after Wednesday's tragedy in which two lorries crashed head-on, starting a major blaze which left at least 10 dead. Calling for the separation of the lanes, Markus Gisler, a member of the parliament of the Uri canton said: "This was an accident waiting to happen." Disruption The Gotthard tunnel is part of the busiest motorway system in Switzerland which serves heavy goods traffic between Germany and Italy. The Swiss authorities have repeatedly complained about the increased traffic on their roads after the 1999 closure of the Mont Blanc tunnel linking France and Italy.
Unlike the Mont Blanc tunnel, Gotthard has a parallel service tunnel which acts as an escape route. But the corridor is too narrow for fire-fighting vehicles. Building on the Gotthard pass started in 1969 at both ends, the towns of Goeschenen and Airolo. The tunnel was completed in 1980 after delays due to unexpected conditions, double the expected cost and the death of 19 workers. It saves drivers 30km of a twisting mountain pass which is closed up to six months a year because of weather conditions. Officials say the Gotthard tunnel will probably remain closed for days and is likely to cause massive disruption to traffic.
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