Disused tube tunnels as cycle lanes?

[whole diary]

[grahame]

http://www.themovechannel.com/news/stories/abandoned-tube-tunnels-to-become-undeground-cycle-lanes-296/?

London's abandoned Tube tunnels could become underground cycle lanes, if the proposals from one architecture firm are given the green light.

There's Holborn Kingsway to Aldwych and Charing Cross to Green Park (covered by the article) - what more are there?

Only ones I can think of is the deep level District:
http://www.subbrit.org.uk/sb-sites/sites/s/south_kensington_station/index.shtml

and the London Bridge to King William Street:
http://www.abandonedstations.org.uk/King_William_Street_1.html

[plymothian]

How about no.
If cyclists are unwilling to use existing facilities where they take a longer route, then why would they want to spend ages getting below ground and back up again adding to journey times?

[devon_metro]

Green Park to Charing Cross isn't abandoned. Trains still use it, just not in passenger service. Not to mention the fact that it is deep underground!

[ellendune]

So what is it used for then?

[Brucey]

So what is it used for then?

Turning trains around at Green Park and for film crews who want a working/"up to date" platform etc.

[JayMac]

The last Bond film, Skyfall, used the former Jubilee line platforms at Charing Cross. The stations in the film were Temple and Embankment, the former, in real life, having no deep-level tube lines. The stations were also incongruously coloured as Circle and District lines. Again, not deep level lines.

Charing Cross tube station since closure has also been used for the films The Bourne Ultimatum, 28 Weeks Later, Creep, as well as episodes of TV series Spooks and 24.

[Cynthia]

Seems like a good idea in theory, and might attract cyclists who are nervous of riding in heavy traffic.  I'd be a bit worried on two scores though: Who would continue to finance the upkeep of abandoned tunnels, and keep them illuminated, and, well, just from a personal point of view, I'd find it a bit creepy cycling in an abandoned tunnel!

[eightf48544]

It's an interesting idea but not entirely practicle.

As has been mentioned you'll have to get your bike up and down which will take time. The lengths are relatively short so I would think you could do them on the surface as quick.

Then there are the maintenance and safety issues mentioned by Cynthia.

Good try C+.

[Red Squirrel]

Seems like a good idea in theory, and might attract cyclists who are nervous of riding in heavy traffic.  I'd be a bit worried on two scores though: Who would continue to finance the upkeep of abandoned tunnels, and keep them illuminated, and, well, just from a personal point of view, I'd find it a bit creepy cycling in an abandoned tunnel!

In converting Combe Down Tunnel to a cycleway, most of the practical problems discussed here have been solved - plus they had bats to contend with, which may not be such an issue in central London. Combe Down Tunnel is 1672m long, has no intermediate ventillation, is bendy and has quite a restricted bore. However both ends are (now) at ground level - which really helps! - and it solves a useful problem of getting people out of Bath into the countryside to the south without needing to cycle over a big hill. Not sure that disused tube tunnels score quite so highly on the usefulness front.

[Brucey]

I imagine the tunnels would be similar to the Woolwich foot tunnel and Greenwich foot tunnel.

Neither are something I would now considering using alone.  I did start descending the stairs at the northern Woolwich entrance last year, but two things made me turn round: 1. the smell of urine, and 2. a very strange man started pestering me on the stairs about halfway down.  Immediately turned round and waited for the free ferry as I didn't want to be alone in the tunnel with some weirdo(s).

Personally, I wouldn't suggest anything else like this be built.

[Electric train]

Think this is loony tunes thinking, cyclists just won't be bothered to go 60 feet down to cycle a mile and the have to com back up 60 feet.

Wheeled transport especially with pneumatic tyres belong on the road, not on a pavement or in a tube tunnel

[stuving]

At first sight I though this was a student project. Maybe it is, since it won first prize at the London Planning Awards in the "Best Conceptual Project" competition. You can imagine, can't you...

Competitors had to submit three pictures, and fill in a form as follows:

This category is open to submissions such as masterplans, frameworks, concepts, planning briefs or
policy documents (not planning applications or unimplemented permissions). Please demonstrate how
the project fulfills the criteria below. You can use 150 words maximum to answer each criterion.
1. Is visionary and challenges the current status-quo
2. Addresses current local and strategic planning challenges such as housing, climate change, transport, employment and regeneration
3. Contributes to London^s world city status

The awards results page includes a Guardian piece (among others) that concludes thus:

Personally, if I were trying to find a congestion-free way to reach the South Bank from Bloomsbury, I wouldn^t rent a Boris bike at platform level in Holborn station, cycle it five-odd minutes down a tunnel, dock it again and take a lift up to ground level, then rent another Boris bike only to be forced to wheel it across a bridge. It might look like fun for some, but the Underline is about as practical a way of clearing the roads as buying every Londoner their own miniature zeppelin.

Quite.

[JayMac]

I'm not a Londoner, but where do I sign up for my miniature Zeppelin? 

[Cynthia]

I imagine the tunnels would be similar to the Woolwich foot tunnel and Greenwich foot tunnel.

Neither are something I would now considering using alone.  I did start descending the stairs at the northern Woolwich entrance last year, but two things made me turn round: 1. the smell of urine, and 2. a very strange man started pestering me on the stairs about halfway down.  Immediately turned round and waited for the free ferry as I didn't want to be alone in the tunnel with some weirdo(s).

Personally, I wouldn't suggest anything else like this be built.

Yes, Brucey, I would share your diffidence re personal safety, especially considering that there is probably no mobile signal in these tunnels?  All in all I think this idea's a bit of a non-runner.  (Or even a non-biker...)




Edit note: Quote marks fixed, for clarity. CfN.

[basset44]

Hi All,

Not a tube tunnel , but Wales are thinking about it has well

Plans to reopen abandoned Welsh railway tunnel described as an 'exciting opportunity' by Edwina Hart


http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/transport-minister-edwina-hart-describes-8632595

Basset