For a very long time, I was convinced that traffic lights were operated by little men. As a child, I would peer into the drain while waiting for the crossing signal, trying to catch a glimpse of the subterranean control room where engineers were pushing the red, yellow, and green buttons that ruled the flow of people through the city. What a power to wield.

Eventually, age robbed the magic of intersections. I learned that sewers were not, in fact, command centres filled with colourful knobs and switches. Traffic lights are more or less automated. So, you can imagine my surprise when I learned that there is, in fact, a team of people operating the Clyde Tunnel.

READ MORE: Clyde Tunnel could be forced to close as staff vote on strike action

Twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, staff members monitor the crucial underwater stretch of road between Whiteinch and Govan. They keep the motorists safe, watching the CCTV for incidents and responding to them, managing the air quality, and performing maintenance tasks. They even control traffic signals!

This week, the union representing the workers announced they were considering going on strike. They rejected a pay offer from COSLA and are now voting on industrial action. If they go ahead with it, the crucial artery could close, sending thousands of commuters into a flurry of chaos.

More than 65,000 vehicles pass through the Clyde Tunnel each day. That’s five times the amount of traffic it was built to take. It is undeniably a crucial piece of national infrastructure, and it is vital........

© Herald Scotland