The Woolwich foot tunnel is a tunnel crossing under the River Thames in East London from Woolwich in the London Borough of Greenwich to North Woolwich in the London Borough of Newham. The tunnel offers pedestrians an alternative way to cross the river when the Woolwich Ferry service is not operating.
Greenwich Council is about to start work to upgrade the tunnel, reducing leakage, installing new lifts, CCTV and communication facilities, and new signing, with a scheduled completion date of March 2011.[1] The tunnel will remain open for most of the renovation work. The intention is that one lift will be replaced at a time, and the stairs will remain in use. Works to the tunnel lining will take place with the tunnel still open. However, there are likely to be times when a tunnel closure will be required due to health and safety considerations, but these closures are to be kept to a minimum.
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Construction
The tunnel was designed by Sir Maurice Fitzmaurice and built by Walter Scott & Middleton[2] for London County Council and opened by Lord Cheylesmore, Chairman of the LCC, on Saturday, 26th October, 1912.[3] In many respects it is very similar to the nearby Greenwich foot tunnel, being accessed by lifts and stairs from buildings featuring glass domes. This tunnel too is glazed with white tiles (although many have been defaced).
The tunnel has been fitted with a leaky feeder system to permit operation of mobile phones.
The tunnel is 504 metres long.[4]
Will Crooks
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, would later serve as Labour MP for Woolwich.
Lift service
The lift service operates Monday to Saturday, 7.30am to 6pm and Sunday, 9am to 4.30pm.
South entrance
The south entrance is now somewhat hidden behind the Waterfront leisure centre.
References
External links
- PortCities Info
- Press report of 1912
- North entrance: 51°29′56″N 0°03′42″E / 51.4988°N 0.0616°ECoordinates: 51°29′56″N 0°03′42″E / 51.4988°N 0.0616°E; south entrance: 51°29′40″N 0°03′46″E / 51.49434°N 0.06283°E
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