Blackwell Tunnel - Cycleable?

Quoted message said:

I'm moving house to Greenwich in a couple of weeks and am trying to
decide on a new commuting route to Holborn. The new place is very
close to the white elephant formerly known as the Millenium Dome and
the Blackwell Tunnel would be a perfect place to get across the river.

I've never been into the tunnel, or even seen it in the flesh.
However, just looking at its length on the map, I get the strong
feeling it'll be well off the list of potential routes. Am I right,
or could it be a possibility?

Cycling the Blackwall Tunnel is physically possible but not legal. I did it
once, but you're bound to get nicked eventually if you do it every day.
There's not even a rideable footway.

Alternatives:

* Greenwich Foot Tunnel - walk the bike if you don't want to be made to feel
like a naughty schoolboy by the lift attendant on the tannoy ;-)

* Rotherhithe Tunnel - legal to cycle but unpleasant due to the climb at the
end and the fumes when busy.

* The bridges

With all the London road tunnels, high cycling speed is easily possible for
the bulk of distance, thanks to the gradients, but the climbs at the ends
are embarrassing when you've got a long queue of cars behind, unable to
overtake on the single narrow lane.

~PB

Pete Biggs said:

Quoted message said:

I'm moving house to Greenwich in a couple of weeks and am trying to
decide on a new commuting route to Holborn. The new place is very
close to the white elephant formerly known as the Millenium Dome and
the Blackwell Tunnel would be a perfect place to get across the river.

I've never been into the tunnel, or even seen it in the flesh.
However, just looking at its length on the map, I get the strong
feeling it'll be well off the list of potential routes. Am I right,
or could it be a possibility?

Cycling the Blackwall Tunnel is physically possible but not legal. I did it
once, but you're bound to get nicked eventually if you do it every day.
There's not even a rideable footway.

Alternatives:

* Greenwich Foot Tunnel - walk the bike if you don't want to be made to feel
like a naughty schoolboy by the lift attendant on the tannoy ;-)

I used to do it but it really does slow you down and you often have to
carry your bike up the stairs.

Quoted message said:

* Rotherhithe Tunnel - legal to cycle but unpleasant due to the climb at the
end and the fumes when busy.

Why bother?

Quoted message said:

* The bridges

That would be the one. I normally do tower bridge.

Quoted message said:

With all the London road tunnels, high cycling speed is easily possible for
the bulk of distance, thanks to the gradients, but the climbs at the ends
are embarrassing when you've got a long queue of cars behind, unable to
overtake on the single narrow lane.

The Rotherhithe tunnel has a 20 mph limit and does have a pavement, but
it is stinky and isn't quicker. I can understand wanting to ride the
Blackwall (which I don't advise) as it offers a very substantial short
cut but the Rotherhithe offers nothing.

Quoted message said:

~PB

Quoted message said:

I'm moving house to Greenwich in a couple of weeks and am trying to
decide on a new commuting route to Holborn. The new place is very
close to the white elephant formerly known as the Millenium Dome and
the Blackwell Tunnel would be a perfect place to get across the river.

I've never been into the tunnel, or even seen it in the flesh.
However, just looking at its length on the map, I get the strong
feeling it'll be well off the list of potential routes. Am I right,
or could it be a possibility?

Bicycles are banned from the tunnel and its approach roads.

There are foot tunnels at Greenwich and Woolwich, though cycling
through them is banned also so you have to push or risk the lift
operator refusing to let you use the lift. The Woolwich Ferry is fun
but slow. The Rotherhithe Tunnel is grim - unless you like riding
primary position and leaving drivers behind frustrated because they'll
arrive at the next hold up 30 seconds later than they might otherwise
arrive.

Blackfriars Bridge might be your best option. It's cycle path
recently won a design award from the London Cycling Campaign.

Where in Greenwich are you moving to?

Quoted message said:

I'm moving house to Greenwich in a couple of weeks and am trying to
decide on a new commuting route to Holborn.

You can't cycle through the Blackwall Tunnel.
As others have said, look at the Greenwich Foot Tunnel - you can get
there either via a direct route, by following the roads out of the
peninsula, then through the back streets north of the main road (ie. the
Alcatel plant etc) through past the rear of the old power station to
arrive at the Naval College. New cycle path through the Naval College
grounds.
(Though this is a waste of £90000 - there is a perfectly good ROAD right
throught the middle, which is used by cars on the site. But no to
cyclists. What a shambles).

The alternative route is to follow the Thames Path along the riverside.
Not a direct commuter route, but would be pleasant on a nice morning.

There is a ferry service, run by Thames Clippers.
http://www.thamesclippers.com/article/166
for those days when you don't want to cycle.

On Thu, 21 Jun 2007 09:41:57 +0100, John Hearns <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

I'm moving house to Greenwich in a couple of weeks and am trying to
decide on a new commuting route to Holborn.

You can't cycle through the Blackwall Tunnel.
As others have said, look at the Greenwich Foot Tunnel - you can get
there either via a direct route, by following the roads out of the
peninsula, then through the back streets north of the main road (ie. the
Alcatel plant etc) through past the rear of the old power station to
arrive at the Naval College. New cycle path through the Naval College
grounds.
(Though this is a waste of £90000 - there is a perfectly good ROAD right
throught the middle, which is used by cars on the site. But no to
cyclists. What a shambles).

I was gobsmacked when I was asked to walk my bike through there while
cars were waved through with impunity.

Quoted message said:

The alternative route is to follow the Thames Path along the riverside.
Not a direct commuter route, but would be pleasant on a nice morning.

I used to ride along there every morning at 6.30. Georgeous.

Thanks for the responses - all very useful. I rather expected the
Blackwell Tunnel wasn't suitable, but it looked so tempting on the
map!

I have to say, I'm rather looking forward to discovering a new route.
There's something rather pleasant about refining a route over the
summer evenings when there's no hurry to get back.