Cycling through tunnels? E9 / C-16 North of Baga

[The Other PaulG]

Hi all,

I wonder whether anyone who's familiar with the Pyrenees can help me with a question?

In a few weeks I'll be cycling from Barcelona to Toulouse. The obvious route takes me up the C-16, through Berga, Baga and on towards the summit at the French border, Puigcerda.

Just north of Baga there is a tunnel of a few Kms in length, under the Cadi-Moixero.

As the title suggests, please does anyone know whether pedestrian / cycle access is permitted through that tunnel? The alternative is many kms longer and involves many metres of additional climbing so this is kind of important..

Cheers!

Paul G

 

[Smug]

Contact the Cyclist Touring Club http://www.ctc.org.uk/contact/information-office

 

[The Other PaulG]

Thanks Smug, I've sent them the query - let's see whether they can help.

Paul G

 

[The Other PaulG]

So here's the update....

Thanks Smug I followed your advice and sent an email to the Cyclist Touring Club, not really anticipating a response.

I received a fantastic reply from Chris Juden, who in a nutshell said that the tunnel's an extremely dangerous place to be on a cycle, so man the hell up and pedal over the Col...

It's kind of what I needed to be telling myself.

The CTC couldn't have been more helpful, thanks for the steer.

 

[GS_or_bust]

Motorcycling through the Pyrenees a few weeks ago I approached a tunnel which had matrix signs saying something like 'Cyclist in tunnel', so perhaps there is a button you press near the entrance to the tunnel to activate this warning to other motorists .

 

[The Other PaulG]

Sounds like a great idea, if that's the way it works.

P

 

[Deleted account 240901001]

Motorcycling through the Pyrenees a few weeks ago I approached a tunnel which had matrix signs saying something like 'Cyclist in tunnel', so perhaps there is a button you press near the entrance to the tunnel to activate this warning to other motorists .

Oh yeah...like French/Spanish drivers are going to give a flying fuck if the squash a cyclist or two......

 

[Tarka]

Legal or not,I'm amazed that you needed to contact a cycling association to discover that there are far easier and less messy ways of dying.

 

[Whele]

I remember cycling through this tunnel. Its not illuminated and I had no lights. It was really scary. Not because of the traffic but because of the darkness.

I remember cycling into the wall. I got off, positioned myself in the middle of the road and begun cycling again but after only a few meters the fear in my head was that I was heading for tunnel wall.

Eventually I had to turn around and wait for someone to come along in a van. Fortunately he was friendly and gave me and the bike a ride through.

 

[Smug]

Glad that you got some useful info from the CTC. Worth joining the CTC just for the third party insurance and legal representation. Well worth considering life membership if you are into cycling.

Did quite a few tunnels in Switzerland and it always amazed me how noisy it was with only one car approaching from behind. Mainly tyre noise.