Planning - Traffic
Silvertown Tunnel
From: Sheila [mailto:smkeeble@yahoo.co.uk]
Sent: 23 July 2020 12:24
To: mayor@london.gov.uk; heidi.alexander@london.gov.uk; len.duvall@london.gov.uk; will.norman@london.gov.uk
Cc: Chris Lloyd <chris.lloyd@royalgreenwich.gov.uk>; Stephen Brain <stephen.brain@royalgreenwich.gov.uk>; Denise Scott-McDonald <denise.scott-mcdonald@royalgreenwich.gov.uk>; Danny Thorpe <Danny.Thorpe@royalgreenwich.gov.uk>; PENNYCOOK, Matthew <matthew.pennycook.mp@parliament.uk>; marilyn.little@btinternet.com; Richard Butt <rbbutt@btinternet.com>
Subject: Silvertown Tunnel Roadworks
Dear Mayor and GLA Members,
As you have been a keen supporter of the Silvertown Tunnel project, we hope that you can provide some important information for Greenwich residents. We have a large number of planning documents going through the Greenwich planning process at the moment relating to the actual tunnel construction and the SGN site where the gasometer has just been demolished. What is missing from the process is any information at all about the ancillary infrastructure works which will be required and this is causing considerable concern locally.
The various Silvertown planning documents refer only (paragraph 1.1) to road widening and a flyover for the southern exit from Blackwall Tunnel. We assume that there must be more thorough planning and design statements about the intended road layouts, signage, pedestrian and cycle access and we hope you can provide this.
At the moment, the A102 is a serious barrier to movement between Greenwich and the Peninsula. There are only five potential crossing points between Westcombe Park Railway Station and Blackwall Tunnel. Three of these are pedestrian/cycle bridges:
l The footbridge to Westcombe Park station from Charlton side
l The filthy, graffiti-covered and ill-lit footbridge from Tunnel Avenue to the Odeon cinema which many local people consider too dangerous to use after dark
l The old footbridge at Boord Street which is apparently scheduled for demolition soon in the first phase of Silvertown construction
The remaining two road crossings are:
l The notorious Angerstein roundabout under the A102 with a history of cycle fatalities and avoided by pedestrians because of the need to cross a number of HGV-choked sliproads.
l The almost equally unpleasant Blackwall Lane underpass where illegal turning off the sliproads makes this a pedestrian nightmare.
The unpleasantness of the crossings has been a major factor in encouraging people to drive between the Peninsula and Greenwich rather than walk or cycle - as can be seen during the school arrival and departure times on both sides of the motorway.
In order that the Silvertown Tunnel works do not become another major obstacle to permeability between the two areas, we believe that there must be some serious community engagement in the design of the new road layouts and particularly in the arrangement of pedestrian and cycle access points. Whatever one’s views on the merits or otherwise of Silvertown Tunnel, we believe that it is very important that the additional road infrastructure does not become the new Westway.
We look forward to hearing from you.
Yours sincerely
Sheila Keeble
On behalf of East Greenwich Residents’ Association
Richard Butt
Vice Chair of The Greenwich Society and Chair of Greenwich Planning Alliance
Marilyn Little
Chair of the Westcombe Society