Greenwich foot tunnel

Last updated

Greenwich foot tunnel
Inside Greenwich Foot Tunnel.jpg
Overview
Official nameGreenwich Foot Tunnel
Location Greenwich/Millwall
CrossesRiver Thames
Start Royal Borough of Greenwich
End London Borough of Tower Hamlets
Operation
Opened1902
OwnerJointly owned, along with Woolwich tunnel, by Royal Borough of Greenwich, London Borough of Tower Hamlets and London Borough of Newham [1]
Operator Royal Borough of Greenwich [1]
TrafficPedestrian
Technical
Design engineerSir Alexander Binnie
Length1,215 feet (370.2 m)

The Greenwich Foot Tunnel crosses beneath the River Thames in East London, linking Greenwich (Royal Borough of Greenwich) on the south bank with Millwall (London Borough of Tower Hamlets) on the north. Approximately 4,000 people use the tunnel (open 24/7) each day. It opened in 1902.

Contents

Design and construction

Southern entrance to Greenwich foot tunnel, with a view of Canary Wharf Greenwich Tunnel facing Canary Wharf, London - Diliff.jpg
Southern entrance to Greenwich foot tunnel, with a view of Canary Wharf

The tunnel was designed by civil engineer Sir Alexander Binnie [2] for London County Council and constructed by contractor John Cochrane & Co. The project started in June 1899 and the tunnel opened on 4 August 1902. The tunnel replaced an expensive and sometimes unreliable ferry service allowing workers living south of the Thames to reach their workplaces in the London docks and shipyards in or near the Isle of Dogs. Its creation owed much to the efforts of working-class politician Will Crooks, who had worked in the docks and, after chairing the LCC's Bridges Committee responsible for the tunnel, later served as Labour MP for Woolwich.

The section of the tunnel that was repaired following damage during World War II Greenwich Foot Tunnel 3.jpg
The section of the tunnel that was repaired following damage during World War II

The entrance shafts at both ends are beneath glazed domes. Lifts, installed in 1904, were upgraded in 1992 and again in 2012, and helical staircases allow pedestrians to access the tile-lined tunnel, which slopes gently from both sides down to a midway lowpoint beneath the river. The cast-iron tunnel is 1,215 feet (370.2 m) long, 50 feet (15.2 m) deep [3] and has an internal diameter of about 9 feet (2.74 m). The cast-iron rings are coated with concrete and surfaced with some 200,000 white glazed tiles. The northern end was damaged by bombs during the Second World War and repairs included a thick steel and concrete inner lining that substantially reduces the diameter for a short distance. The northern shaft staircase has 87 steps; the southern one has 100.

Upgrade works

Before renovations from 2010 onwards, the attendant-operated lift service was only open from 7 am to 7 pm on weekdays and Saturdays, and 10 am to 5.30 pm on Sundays, with no service on Christmas Day or Boxing Day. Staff shortages and other problems meant that even during these times the lifts were often unavailable. Since 1999, if the lift was not functioning, anyone unable to use the stairs could take the Docklands Light Railway between Island Gardens DLR station (close to the northern end of the tunnel) and Cutty Sark DLR station (close to the southern end). However, non-folding bicycles are not permitted on the Docklands Light Railway system at peak times.

Greenwich Council started work to upgrade the tunnel on 19 April 2010, intending to reduce leakage, improve drainage and install new lifts, CCTV, communication facilities and signage. Completion was planned for March 2011 but this slipped to September 2011. The tunnel was supposed to be accessible throughout most of the renovations, but it closed completely in February 2011. Stair use was soon regained but lifts remained out of service until early 2012, and remained subject to occasional brief closures during 2012. In October 2012 Greenwich Council acknowledged that the upgrade work had not been completed on time and had run over budget. [4] The work was finally completed and included new customer-operated lifts with surface level availability signs, CCTV coverage, upgraded lighting and renewal or replacement of vital structural components. [1]

The lifts were out of action for a long period in 2021-22 which Greenwich Council attributed to an international supply chain problem affecting the supply of spare parts. [5]

Location

The northern entrance to the Greenwich foot tunnel on the Isle of Dogs North Face of the Northern Entrance to the Greenwich Foot Tunnel (01).jpg
The northern entrance to the Greenwich foot tunnel on the Isle of Dogs

The tunnel links

with

Coordinates

Usage

Plaque on the south entrance to the tunnel Plaque on the Southern Entrance Building to Greenwich Foot Tunnel.jpg
Plaque on the south entrance to the tunnel

A notice at the tunnel entrance states that the tunnel is private property (the Royal Borough of Greenwich manages the Greenwich and Woolwich foot tunnels on joint behalf of two other partners, the London Borough of Tower Hamlets and the London Borough of Newham) [1] and not a public right of way. Ordnance Survey maps do not show a right of way on the route of the tunnel. The tunnel is also part of the UK's National Cycle Route 1 linking Inverness and Dover. A National Trail, the Thames Path, uses the tunnel to rejoin the southbound part of the path.

A 2016 survey showed that around 4,000 people use the tunnel each day. [6]

The 'Friends of Greenwich and Woolwich foot tunnels' (FOGWOFT) was established in September 2013. [7] Following encouragement from FOGWOFT and information from the Institution of Civil Engineers, on 5 July 2016 an interpretative plaque was unveiled near the tunnel's Greenwich entrance by the deputy leader of Greenwich council. [8] [9]

Cycling

The "No Cycling" sign on the floor of the Greenwich Tunnel in 2023. Greenwich-Tunnel-No-Cycling.png
The "No Cycling" sign on the floor of the Greenwich Tunnel in 2023.

Local bylaws require cyclists to dismount and push their bikes through the tunnel, [10] although plans to remove this requirement have been considered. [11] In 2016, an 'active mobility' system was installed in the tunnel to monitor and actively manage tunnel usage. The system used computer vision to count and measure the speed of bicycles and pedestrians, and displayed messages on electronic signs to encourage considerate behaviour. The system (also installed in the Woolwich foot tunnel) displayed two messages: "No cycling allowed" (in red text) during busy periods, and "Please consider pedestrians" (in green text) during quiet periods, aiming to make urban shared spaces safer and more pleasant to use for all. [12] The shared spaces trial was supported by Greenwich council but Tower Hamlets refused permission to update the bylaws and the sign system was discontinued; while some cyclists do ride in the tunnel, cycling is still not permitted. [13]

With a continuing impasse in updating the bylaws, FOGWOFT disbanded in March 2021. [14]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Docklands Light Railway</span> Automated light metro system in the Docklands area of London, England

The Docklands Light Railway (DLR) is an automated light metro system primarily serving the redeveloped Docklands area of London and providing a direct connection between London's two major financial districts, Canary Wharf and the City of London. First opened on 31 August 1987, the DLR has been extended multiple times, giving a total route length of 38 km. Lines now reach north to Stratford, south to Lewisham, west to Tower Gateway and Bank in the City of London financial district, and east to Beckton, London City Airport and Woolwich Arsenal. An extension to Thamesmead is currently being proposed.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">London Docklands</span> Area by the Thames in London, England

London Docklands is the riverfront and former docks in London. It is located in inner east and southeast London, in the boroughs of Southwark, Tower Hamlets, Lewisham, Newham and Greenwich. The docks were formerly part of the Port of London, at one time the world's largest port. After the docks closed, the area had become derelict and poverty-ridden by the 1980s. The Docklands' regeneration began later that decade; it has been redeveloped principally for commercial and residential use. The name "London Docklands" was used for the first time in a government report on redevelopment plans in 1971 and has since been almost universally adopted. The redevelopment created wealth, but also led to some conflict between the new and old communities in the area.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Royal Borough of Greenwich</span> Place in United Kingdom

The Royal Borough of Greenwich is a London borough in southeast Greater London, England. The London Borough of Greenwich was formed in 1965 by the London Government Act 1963. The new borough covered the former area of the Metropolitan Borough of Greenwich and part of the Metropolitan Borough of Woolwich to the east. The local council is Greenwich London Borough Council which meets in Woolwich Town Hall. The council's offices are also based in Woolwich, the main urban centre in the borough.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Isle of Dogs</span> Area in the East End of London, England

The Isle of Dogs is a large peninsula bounded on three sides by a large meander in the River Thames in East London, England, which includes the Cubitt Town, Millwall and Canary Wharf districts. The area was historically part of the Manor, Hamlet, Parish and, for a time, the wider borough of Poplar. The name had no official status until the 1987 creation of the Isle of Dogs Neighbourhood by Tower Hamlets London Borough Council. It has been known locally as simply "the Island" since the 19th century.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Woolwich</span> District in southeast London, England

Woolwich is a town in southeast London, England, within the Royal Borough of Greenwich.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Greenwich</span> Town in south-east London, England

Greenwich is a town in south-east London, England, within the ceremonial county of Greater London. It is situated 5.5 miles (8.9 km) east-south-east of Charing Cross.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Blackwall Tunnel</span> Pair of road tunnels underneath the River Thames in London

The Blackwall Tunnel is a pair of road tunnels underneath the River Thames in east London, England, linking the London Borough of Tower Hamlets with the Royal Borough of Greenwich, and part of the A102 road. The northern portal lies just south of the East India Dock Road (A13) in Blackwall; the southern entrances are just south of The O2 on the Greenwich Peninsula. The road is managed by Transport for London (TfL).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rotherhithe Tunnel</span> Road tunnel under the Thames river

The Rotherhithe Tunnel, designated the A101, is a road tunnel under the River Thames in East London, connecting Limehouse in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets north of the river to Rotherhithe in the London Borough of Southwark south of the river. It was formally opened in 1908 by George, Prince of Wales, and Richard Robinson, Chairman of the London County Council. It is a rare example of a road tunnel where road traffic, pedestrians and cyclists all share the same tunnel bore. Transport for London took over ownership and maintenance of the tunnel in 2001.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Woolwich Ferry</span> Ferry across the River Thames in east London

The Woolwich Ferry is a free vehicle and pedestrian ferry across the River Thames in East London, connecting Woolwich on the south bank with North Woolwich on the north. It is licensed and financed by London River Services, the maritime arm of Transport for London (TfL). Around two million passengers use the ferry each year.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cutty Sark for Maritime Greenwich DLR station</span> Docklands Light Railway station

Cutty Sarkfor Maritime Greenwich is a light metro station on the Docklands Light Railway (DLR) Bank-Lewisham Line in Greenwich, south-east London, so named for its proximity to the Cutty Sark in the Maritime Greenwich district. It is the most central of the Greenwich DLR stations, being situated in Greenwich town centre.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Woolwich foot tunnel</span> Tunnel under the River Thames in East London

The Woolwich foot tunnel crosses under the River Thames in Woolwich, in East London from Old Woolwich in the Royal Borough of Greenwich to North Woolwich in the London Borough of Newham. The tunnel offers pedestrians and cyclists an alternative way to cross the river when the Woolwich Free Ferry service is not operating. Both entrances to the tunnel are Grade II listed buildings. The south entrance is somewhat hidden behind the Waterfront leisure centre. It is the oldest remaining building in the riverside area of Old Woolwich.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Millwall</span> Area of the Isle of Dogs in London, England

Millwall is a district on the western and southern side of the Isle of Dogs, in east London, England, in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets. It lies to the immediate south of Canary Wharf and Limehouse, north of Greenwich and Deptford, east of Rotherhithe, west of Cubitt Town, and has a long shoreline along London's Tideway, part of the River Thames. It was part of the County of Middlesex and from 1889 the County of London following the passing of the Local Government Act 1888, it later became part of Greater London in 1965.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">North Greenwich, Isle of Dogs</span> Human settlement in England

North Greenwich is a formal 19th century name for an area now in Millwall situated at the very southern tip of the Isle of Dogs, in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets. It lies to the south of the commercial estates of West India Docks including Canary Wharf and has a short shoreline along London's Tideway part of the River Thames.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Thames Gateway Bridge</span>

The Thames Gateway Bridge was a proposed crossing over the River Thames in east London, England. It was first mooted in the 1970s but never came to fruition. The concept was re-proposed in 2004, with preliminary planning proceeding until November 2008, when Boris Johnson, the then Mayor of London, formally cancelled the entire £500 million scheme.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">East London</span> Northeastern part of London, United Kingdom

East London is the northeastern part of London, England, east of the ancient City of London and north of the River Thames as it begins to widen. East London developed as London's docklands and the primary industrial centre. The expansion of railways in the 19th century encouraged the eastward expansion of the East End of London and a proliferation of new suburbs. The industrial lands of East London are today an area of regeneration, which are well advanced in places such as Canary Wharf and ongoing elsewhere.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Island Gardens</span>

Island Gardens is a public park located at the southern end of the Isle of Dogs in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets on the north bank of the River Thames. The park was formally opened on 3 August 1895 by local politician Will Crooks.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Silvertown Tunnel</span> Tunnel under construction below the Thames between Sivertown and North Greenwich

The Silvertown Tunnel is a road tunnel under construction beneath the River Thames between the Greenwich Peninsula and west Silvertown.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gallions Reach Crossing</span> Proposed bridge or ferry crossing the River Thames

The Gallions Reach Crossing was a proposed River Thames crossing close to Gallions Reach in East London, running between Beckton in the London Borough of Newham and Thamesmead in the Royal Borough of Greenwich. Originally a proposed ferry crossing replacing the Woolwich Ferry, later plans suggested either a bridge or a tunnel.

The Docklands Light Railway extension to Thamesmead is a proposed Docklands Light Railway (DLR) extension to serve the Beckton Riverside and Thamesmead redevelopment areas of East London.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Foot tunnels history". Royal Borough of Greenwich. Archived from the original on 2 October 2021. Retrieved 2 October 2021.
  2. "Greenwich Council Facts about the Foot Tunnel". Greenwich.gov.uk. 10 October 2011. Archived from the original on 5 October 2011. Retrieved 27 June 2013.
  3. Greenwich Foot Tunnel at Structurae
  4. "Cabinet agrees way ahead for foot tunnels refurbishment - Greenwich". Royalgreenwich.gov.uk. 12 October 2012. Archived from the original on 26 October 2012. Retrieved 27 June 2013.
  5. "Greenwich foot tunnel lift fixed after 307 days and cyclists are relieved". 15 March 2022. Archived from the original on 21 January 2023. Retrieved 21 January 2023.
  6. "News from the Friends of Greenwich and Woolwich Foot Tunnels". 8 January 2014. Archived from the original on 23 March 2021. Retrieved 19 November 2019.
  7. "fogwoft". fogwoft. Archived from the original on 3 April 2019. Retrieved 3 April 2019.
  8. Little, Mandy (12 July 2016). "Plaque to flag up the history of 100 year old Greenwich Foot Tunnel". South London Press online. Archived from the original on 20 August 2016. Retrieved 11 August 2016.
  9. Chrimes, Mike (September 2016). "Recognition for historic foot tunnel" (PDF). New Civil Engineer. p. 69. Archived (PDF) from the original on 12 August 2016. Retrieved 11 August 2016.(subscription required)
  10. "Foot tunnels". Archived from the original on 12 November 2014. Retrieved 30 November 2014.
  11. "Plans to break ban on cyclists using Greenwich foot tunnel sparks row". 31 August 2017. Archived from the original on 21 October 2017. Retrieved 20 October 2017.
  12. "Case Study: Greenwich and Woolwich Foot Tunnels". Archived from the original on 30 January 2019. Retrieved 28 September 2016.
  13. Brooke, Mike (27 March 2019). "Greenwich foot tunnel 'too narrow to share with cycling' Isle of Dogs families tell City Hall commissioner". East London Advertiser. Archived from the original on 31 January 2022. Retrieved 31 January 2022.
  14. "Fogwoft Thinks it's Time to Pass the Baton". FOGWOFT. Archived from the original on 23 March 2021. Retrieved 2 October 2021. Archived from the original on 23 March 2021.