Subterranean roads could cut pollution and congestion levels in urban areas

Now researchers at Nottingham University have developed a concept to alleviate environmental and traffic problems associated with the greater use of vehicles, based on a network of subterranean roads.

Unlike tunnels, which can be difficult and expensive to build, particularly over large distances, the idea would be to dig channels within the ground, several metres in depth, according to Prof Saffa Riffat, chair in sustainable energy at Nottingham’s faculty of engineering, who has developed the idea alongside research fellow Prof Yijun Yuan, a specialist in mining engineering and sustainable energy.

The pair have also recently unveiled plans to build underground farms within the disused tunnels of depleted mines, as well as deep sea farms within floating containers, and deep farms within shafts dug into the sand in desert regions.

“Compared to building tunnels, it would be much easier to create a channel in the ground and put a prefabricated surface road on top, allowing you to have twice the area for vehicles to travel on,” said Riffat.