please empty your brain below
Interestingly, no results on Google Maps for this street name.

Doktorb | 06.04.20 - 7:09 a.m. | #

This road has always intrigued me. I’d love the know why it was mothballed (and by whom) and if there are plans to bring it back into use.

Incidentally, a few weeks ago they finally built the long-desire-lined “missing footpath” from the bottom of the ramp from the orange exit bridges (over this road and the A12) to Hackney Marsh. All 20 metres of it only took 7.5 years to build.

Dan | 06.04.20 - 7:16 a.m. | #

So why is it not in use? Are they saving money on having to resurface it? Is there some weird legal problem we can’t see like Shepherds Bush Overground platform all those years ago? Is it legally designated as a right of way?

Kirk | 06.04.20 - 7:19 a.m. | #

Not being at all local, what are the 2 bridges that look to be immediately south of it crossing the Lea?

dg writes: Part of the Velopark's one mile road circuit.

Colly | 06.04.20 - 7:44 a.m. | #

If anyone wants to see Northwall Road in all its glory on camera, it was recently featured in the BBC drama "The Capture" (episode 4, around 6 mins in)

Matt | 06.04.20 - 8:01 a.m. | #

It's not entirely clear to me what this road is for even after the future residential is built, as most of the land either side (other than a bit at the western end, with alternative access already in place via Waterden Road) doesn't seem developable due to the Velopark and the A12 being in the way. And the Eastway to the north connects the two ends in an only marginally less direct manner. If the Velopark had a service entrance this road would be useful for it, but there is no service / delivery entrance at all.

David | Homepage | 06.04.20 - 8:23 a.m. | #

Those in charge of Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park describe Northwall Road as "a private road closed to traffic".

diamond geezer | Homepage | 06.04.20 - 9:25 a.m. | #

I'm pretty sure it was open for public use, briefly. I am certain that I remember driving it when the site was opened. I think it was before the games but I could be wrong on that.

Brad | 06.04.20 - 9:31 a.m. | #

If you look on Google Earth, part of it seem to be in use with vehicles going in/out at both ends and some large vans parked about half-way along. Perhaps it was when they were filming as @ Matt above.

John Simmons | 06.04.20 - 10:41 a.m. | #

I'm honestly surprised they haven't just got rid of it and filled it with trees/more MTB trails..

James Scantlebury | 06.04.20 - 10:59 a.m. | #

An unused road and cyclists are supposed to pay £5 to cycle along the road?

dg writes: No.

Andrew | Homepage | 06.04.20 - 11:19 a.m. | #

My role as a Games Maker at London 2012 was to supervise one of a small number of bus stops on an exclusive route for the 'Olympic family', including one located on this road ... I spent many a late night, often cold and very wet, wondering what would become of this rather remote outpost ... Thanks DG

PJS | 06.04.20 - 11:32 a.m. | #

The road doesn't have cycle lanes. It has some pointless white lines painted along it - which do zero to protect cycle users.

Most of the Olympic legacy is great, but (and this is ironic given the attention given to cycle events during the games) there is no safe cycle provision in roads within the park.

TFL has reengineered major roads in Stratford to increase safety for pedestrian and cycle users but the Olympic Park hasn't embraced any of those changes.

IslandDweller | 06.04.20 - 1:23 p.m. | #

Like PJS I also spent time on this road during the Olympics. As part of the park transport team, I must have driven along it a hundred times during that fortnight (soon to be relived by the BBC to replace Tokyo 2020!). I wonder if anyone has driven it that may times since then.

RangerNigel | 06.04.20 - 2:02 p.m. | #

A road can either be a Private Road, i.e. NOT maintained by a Highway Authority, a Public Highway (adopted and maintained by the Highway Authority) open to all to pass and re-pass as they wish, or a Public Highway Not Maintainable at Public Expense but nevertheless open to all to pass and re-pass as they wish

Once a road has become either type of Public Highway it cannot stop being one without a legal closure process.
If it is either type of Public Highway it should be listed in the relevant Highway Authority's Gazetteer.
(Please do not ask how I know all this.)

I have no idea which Highway Authority Northwall Road E20 lies.

strawbrick | 06.04.20 - 3:55 p.m. | #

Well, as I'm WFH at the moment and going out each day for a 30-to-40 minute bike ride as my once-a-day exercise, I thought I would pay this a visit - just got back.

I was vaguely aware of it, having ridden across both ends at one time or another, and over it towards the velodrome etc.

I had the place all to myself! I did south-north, from Waterden Road, and then high-tailed it back again! The road humps are a real pain as they are not even sinusoidal, but even so, you can get up some good speed on the 'descent' under the overhead pedestrian bridge that links Hackney Marsh to the Park.

Love-The-Ride

David Cohen | 06.04.20 - 4:16 p.m. | #

Strawbrick: You can check the ownership of every road in England at findmystreet.co.uk.

This searches the national gazetteer which is the official record of this.

It states that Northwall Road is in private ownership, and “not maintainable at public expense”.

Dan | 06.04.20 - 7:07 p.m. | #

The Crayonista in me would love to see a DLR extension from Stratford Int along this road up to Here East but I'm sure the business case and practicalities would be nil!

Sean | 06.04.20 - 7:08 p.m. | #

I was told a story by the volunteers in pink who work at the park that there are rumours that during the Olympics, in case of an emergency situation, VIPs would be rushed to a bunker under the electricity substation near the Velodrome and their getaway vehicles would be waiting on this road to rush them away.

DrF | 06.04.20 - 7:14 p.m. | #

There are occasions when Waterden Road is closed (usually for running or cycling events) and Northwall Road is opened as a diversion route for cars heading to or from Westfield.

As David says, the speed bumps don't make it as fun a cycle as it might otherwise be.

martin | 06.04.20 - 9:53 p.m. | #

speaking of the road being used to access Westfield, that was one of its first uses: pre- and post-Games, it was part of the Northern Retail Lifeline. On one of the signs, someone had scratched off the 'Li', giving it a bit of a different feel.

martin | 07.04.20 - 6:12 a.m. | #

Teh acres of underused tarmac are the worst thing about the olympic legacy. Not only are they not needed now, they were over-designed to start with, the roads are all designed to "out of town shopping centre" spec, and really should be more like the roads that go around hyde park or richmond park. Given that it was pretty obvious that this road would be under used, why wasn't it used to form the velodrome road circuit? saving yet more tarmac being added?

Alistair Twiname | 07.04.20 - 10:39 a.m. | #

Heavens.

North Wall Road Linear Park

This project provides a unique opportunity to transform a disused road into a linear park. The road was part of the London 2012 Games in Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park and was to form part of the road network. However, it is now not needed and will remain closed and unadopted by local authorities. During Covid lockdowns local people started using it, but its poor quality attracts antisocial behaviour. Local people would like it improved and this project will develop local community ideas into an exemplar grey to green project.

diamond geezer | Homepage | 26.04.23 - 10:48 a.m. | #











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