Woolwich foot tunnel facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Overview |
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| Location | Woolwich, London |
| Coordinates | 51°29′56″N 0°03′42″E / 51.49879°N 0.06165°E |
| Operation | |
| Traffic | Pedestrian |
| Technical | |
| Design engineer | Sir Maurice Fitzmaurice |
| Length | 504 metres (1,654 ft) |
| Route map | |
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The Woolwich Foot Tunnel is a special underground path that goes under the River Thames in London. It connects Woolwich in the Royal Borough of Greenwich to North Woolwich in the London Borough of Newham. This tunnel is a handy way for people walking or cycling to cross the river, especially when the Woolwich Free Ferry isn't running. Both entrances to the tunnel are old and important buildings, protected by law as 'Grade II listed buildings'. The south entrance is a bit hidden behind a leisure centre. It's actually the oldest building left in the riverside area of Old Woolwich.
Building the Tunnel
A clever engineer named Sir Maurice Fitzmaurice designed the Woolwich Foot Tunnel. It was built by a company called Walter Scott & Middleton for the London County Council (LCC). The tunnel officially opened on Saturday, October 26, 1912.
A big reason this tunnel was built was because of a politician named Will Crooks. He used to work in the docks and knew how hard it was for workers to cross the river. He later became the chairman of the LCC's Bridges Committee, which was in charge of building the tunnel. He then became a Member of Parliament (MP) for Woolwich.
Making the Tunnel Better
In 2010, Greenwich Council started work to improve both the Woolwich Foot Tunnel and the Greenwich foot tunnel. The goal was to fix leaks, improve drainage, and install new lifts, security cameras (CCTV), and communication systems. The work was supposed to finish by March 2011. During these improvements, the tunnel was closed on weekdays, but the Woolwich Free Ferry was available as another way to cross.
On September 24, 2010, the tunnel had to close completely because engineers found some weak spots in the stairways and the tunnel itself. It was expected to reopen in August 2011, but it finally opened to the public in December 2011. At first, people could only use the stairs until the new lifts were fully ready.
The tunnel now has a special system that lets mobile phones work inside. The tunnel is 504 metres (1,654 ft) long. At its deepest point, the tunnel roof is about 3 metres (9.8 ft) below the river bed.
A group called 'Friends of Greenwich and Woolwich Foot Tunnels' (FOGWOFT) was started in September 2013. They help look after the tunnels.
In 2016, a system called Ethos Active Mobility was put in the tunnel. This system uses cameras to count people and bicycles and measure how fast they are going. It also shows messages on electronic signs to encourage everyone to be polite and careful. For example, during busy times, it might show "No cycling allowed" in red. During quieter times, it might say "Please consider pedestrians" in green. This system helps make shared spaces safer and more enjoyable for everyone.
How Many People Use It?
A survey in 2016 showed that about 1,000 people use the Woolwich Foot Tunnel every day.
