please empty your brain below
Hadn't heard of that. Guess I should go there some time...

John Maltby

Joho | 15.08.18 - 8:45 a.m. | #

It used to be possible to walk the much shorter distance between the two middle shafts of the Rotherhithe Tunnel. Unfortunately the roofs were damaged and removed many years ago, and rain corroded the stairs and made them unsafe.

Now that the roofs have been replaced there is a great opportunity for TfL to finish the job by reopening these two shafts thereby promoting cycling and walking. Ever-stricter emissions standards and the increasing use of electric vehicles mean that accessing the Rotherhithe Tunnel via Shafts 2 & 3 is now much more realistic.

Gerry | 15.08.18 - 12:26 p.m. | #

Even the much shorter distance through the Rotherhithe Tunnel is likely still to be terrifying.

I think it would be better to make one footpath narrower and one wider, and then pedestrians walking down the wider one would feel less likely to be run over imminently.

Also could be a chance to widen the road layout slightly by stealing from the pavements slightly in that scenario.

Messiah | 15.08.18 - 12:46 p.m. | #

There are very good reasons why...
...TfL won't be spending money repairing the iron staircases
...cyclists wouldn't appreciate the reopening of the staircases
...vehicle emission reductions won't attract more pedestrians
...the tunnel's layout will not be made asymmetrical

diamond geezer | Homepage | 15.08.18 - 1:04 p.m. | #

Yet more fascinating stuff on the fifty-one-and-a-halfth parallel. A very blog-productive idea.

Malcolm | 15.08.18 - 6:25 p.m. | #

I once cycled through the Rotherhithe tunnel. It was a long time ago, when cars were smaller, and less numerous. In fact it was a very quiet Sunday morning and I had the tunnel largely to myself, with is hard to imagine now. The acoustics meant that the noise of a car approaching from behind was terrifying and I never dared do it again.

I also used to cycle through the Kingsway underpass before bikes were banned. Never did the Blackwall though... not that daft.

NickW | 16.08.18 - 12:12 a.m. | #











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