Questions to the Mayor - Greenwich Foot Tunnel

=====Questions to Boris Johnson=====

Greenwich Foot Tunnel: defending cyclists

Question No: 2369 / 2009

Caroline Pidgeon

Your Answers to my Questions 1105/2009, 1106/2009, 1107/2009,
effectively washing your hands of making proper provision for cyclists
affected by the 18-month closure of the Greenwich Foot Tunnel, fit
very poorly with your self-portrayal as “the cycling Mayor”. Will you
re-consider and work actively with the Leader of Greenwich Council to
champion those cyclists and find a workable solution while the
necessary renovation work is carried out?

Answer from the Mayor:

The London Borough of Greenwich, who are responsible for maintaining
the tunnels, will begin the main tunnel refurbishment works early in
2010 and these are expected to finish later that year. Lift closures
are not anticipated before June 2010. Greenwich expect to close only
one lift per tunnel at a time. Most work will take place while the
tunnels remain open although there may be a need for limited tunnel
closures at times when it is not safe to carry out work, even behind
hoardings. In the meantime, Greenwich is discussing with Thames
Clippers their plans for alternative river crossing arrangements
during the period of closure.



Following a meeting I had with the Leader of Greenwich Council
recently, Transport for London reviewed whether the Docklands Light
Railway could carry full size bicycles. However, as the relevant
section of the system is ‘in tunnel’ the evacuation of trains with the
presence of bicycles could be a significant safety hazard.



Given the importance of minimising impact of this vital work on users
of the tunnel, Transport for London officers are in contact with their
counterparts at Greenwich on to identify how to mitigate the potential
impacts of the works.



*

Greenwich Foot Tunnel: discretionary funding

Question No: 2370 / 2009

Caroline Pidgeon

While the provision and funding of alternative arrangements during the
closure of the Greenwich Foot Tunnel is currently a matter for the
London Borough of Greenwich, can you not consider contributing
discretionary funding for additional ferry services to carry cyclists
and their bikes between Cutty Sark and Masthouse Terrace in view of
this cross-river cycle route being a strategic transport
infrastructure link between several boroughs?

Answer from the Mayor:

The provision and funding of alternative arrangements during the
closure of the Greenwich foot tunnel is a matter for the London
Borough of Greenwich, who is carrying out this work. The tunnel works
are being funded through Central Government grant, through which,
provision has been made for alternative transport links.



*

Responsibility for Greenwich Foot Tunnel

Question No: 2371 / 2009

Caroline Pidgeon

Since the Greenwich Foot Tunnel is, for cyclists, a strategic
transport infrastructure link between several boroughs, should not
arrangements now be made for the responsibility for its condition and
maintenance to transfer to Transport for London?

Answer from the Mayor:

I have no plans to make such arrangements and believe it correct that
Greenwich continues to be responsible for the maintenance of the foot
tunnel. TfL is working closely with London Borough of Greenwich to
ensure that the planned works on the foot tunnel cause the minimum
disruption for users.



Please also refer to my answer to your questions MQ2369 / 2009 &
MQ2370 / 2009.

====================

It is looking more optimistic than before that there will be a
replacement ferry service for cyclists and pedestrians unable to use
the Greenwich Foot Tunnel or Docklands Light Railway while the
Greenwich Foot Tunnel is closed.

Two more questions to the Mayor

====================

Foot Tunnel Closures

Question No: 2544 / 2009

John Biggs

Given the impending closure of the Greenwich and Woolwich foot
tunnels, what support are you offering to Greenwich Council in
providing an alternative river crossing for the several hundred
inconvenienced pedestrians and cyclists who use the tunnel every day?

Answer from the Mayor:

While Greenwich remains responsible for these schemes and the
subsequent closures, TfL is open to providing advice to the borough if
requested.



I met recently with the leader of the council, and Greenwich is
discussing with Thames Clippers plans for alternative river crossing
arrangements during the period of closures.



*

Greenwich & Woolwich Foot Tunnel Closures

Question No: 2545 / 2009

John Biggs

Will you allow a relaxation of the DLR’s no-bicycle policy during the
period the tunnels remain closed?

Answer from the Mayor:

I asked TfL to review the circumstances around the closure of the foot
tunnels and they have concluded that safety factors make it
unacceptable for full-sized bikes to be carried on the DLR. Much of
the problem is due to the suggested closure of both the Greenwich and
Woolwich tunnels simultaneously, although it is understood that
Greenwich Council are reviewing the arrangements and seeking to limit
the number of times when the foot tunnels will be completely closed
and that these closures will be short in duration.

====================

While the decision of Greenwich Council not to close both tunnels
simultaneously is welcome, if Boris is correct, it is not a solution
to the problem of severing these vital highways. The detour from
Greenwich to Woolwich or Woolwich to Greenwich is twelve miles via the
Thames Path or eight on busy roads.

Tom Crispin wrote:

Two more questions to the Mayor

[snip]

While the decision of Greenwich Council not to close both tunnels
simultaneously is welcome, if Boris is correct, it is not a solution
to the problem of severing these vital highways. The detour from
Greenwich to Woolwich or Woolwich to Greenwich is twelve miles via the
Thames Path or eight on busy roads.

Obviously, he should buy you a helicopter.

Each.

On Tue, 15 Sep 2009 17:23:40 +0100, Tom Crispin
wrote:

snippety

One thing that's not been raised much, and was raised by my friend
Peter who lives in South London and works in Canary Wharf: quite often
the DLR is down, and in those cases there is no real way to get across
the river without a long detour.

Guy
--
http://www.chapmancentral.co.uk/urc | http://www.nohelmetlaw.org.uk/
"Nullius in Verba" - take no man's word for it.
- attr. Horace, chosen by John Evelyn for the Royal Society

On Sep 15, 8:05*pm, JNugent wrote:
Tom Crispin wrote:
Two more questions to the Mayor

[snip]

While the decision of Greenwich Council not to close both tunnels
simultaneously is welcome, if Boris is correct, it is not a solution
to the problem of severing these vital highways. *The detour from
Greenwich to Woolwich or Woolwich to Greenwich is twelve miles via the
Thames Path or eight on busy roads.

Obviously, he should buy you a helicopter.

Each.

Oh dear,that seems very bad, welcome to the real world.


PeterG

PeterG wrote:

JNugent wrote:
Tom Crispin wrote:

Two more questions to the Mayor

[snip]

While the decision of Greenwich Council not to close both tunnels
simultaneously is welcome, if Boris is correct, it is not a solution
to the problem of severing these vital highways. The detour from
Greenwich to Woolwich or Woolwich to Greenwich is twelve miles via the
Thames Path or eight on busy roads.

Obviously, he should buy you a helicopter.
Each.

Oh dear,that seems very bad, welcome to the real world.

What?

On Tue, 15 Sep 2009 22:45:34 +0100, "Just zis Guy, you know?"
wrote:

On Tue, 15 Sep 2009 17:23:40 +0100, Tom Crispin
wrote:

snippety

One thing that's not been raised much, and was raised by my friend
Peter who lives in South London and works in Canary Wharf: quite often
the DLR is down, and in those cases there is no real way to get across
the river without a long detour.

Up to thirty Jubilee line trains cross the Thames from North Greenwich
(The Dome) to Canary Wharf per hour; the 108 bus runs every 10 minutes
through the Blackwall Tunnel; and when it reopens in June 2010, London
Overground will operate 12 trains an hour at peak times through the
Thames Tunnel, rising to 16 trains an hour from February 2011.

These are three alternatives for pedestrians for when the DLR is down,
and options not available to cyclists, though there is a small chance
that non-folding bicycles will be allowed through the Thames Tunnel
off-peak.

On 16 Sep, 06:10, Tom Crispin
wrote:
On Tue, 15 Sep 2009 22:45:34 +0100, "Just zis Guy, you know?"

wrote:
On Tue, 15 Sep 2009 17:23:40 +0100, Tom Crispin
wrote:

snippety

One thing that's not been raised much, and was raised by my friend
Peter who lives in South London and works in Canary Wharf: quite often
the DLR is down, and in those cases there is no real way to get across
the river without a long detour.

Up to thirty Jubilee line trains cross the Thames from North Greenwich
(The Dome) to Canary Wharf per hour; the 108 bus runs every 10 minutes
through the Blackwall Tunnel; and when it reopens in June 2010, London
Overground will operate 12 trains an hour at peak times through the
Thames Tunnel, rising to 16 trains an hour from February 2011.

These are three alternatives for pedestrians for when the DLR is down,
and options not available to cyclists, though there is a small chance
that non-folding bicycles will be allowed through the Thames Tunnel
off-peak.

And for disabled cyclists its even worse. Are the Jubilee Line train
stations step-free?

--
UK Radical Campaigns
www.zing.icom43.net
One man's democracy is another man's regime.

On Tue, 15 Sep 2009 23:15:36 -0700 (PDT), Doug
wrote:

And for disabled cyclists its even worse. Are the Jubilee Line train
stations step-free?

Yes. The new Jubilee Line stations are about the most accessible
underground stations in the world. Certainly many more times
accessible than the Greenwich or Woolwich Foot tunnels during the
frequent lift closures. However, cycles are not allowed on Jubilee
Line trains under the Thames.

On Sep 16, 7:15*am, Doug wrote:
On 16 Sep, 06:10, Tom Crispin
wrote:

On Tue, 15 Sep 2009 22:45:34 +0100, "Just zis Guy, you know?"

wrote:
On Tue, 15 Sep 2009 17:23:40 +0100, Tom Crispin
wrote:

snippety

One thing that's not been raised much, and was raised by my friend
Peter who lives in South London and works in Canary Wharf: quite often
the DLR is down, and in those cases there is no real way to get across
the river without a long detour.

Up to thirty Jubilee line trains cross the Thames from North Greenwich
(The Dome) to Canary Wharf per hour; the 108 bus runs every 10 minutes
through the Blackwall Tunnel; and when it reopens in June 2010, London
Overground will operate 12 trains an hour at peak times through the
Thames Tunnel, rising to 16 trains an hour from February 2011.

These are three alternatives for pedestrians for when the DLR is down,
and options not available to cyclists, though there is a small chance
that non-folding bicycles will be allowed through the Thames Tunnel
off-peak.

And for disabled cyclists its even worse. Are the Jubilee Line train
stations step-free?

--
UK Radical Campaignswww.zing.icom43.net
One man's democracy is another man's regime.

To use your own words 'you do the research'

PeterG