Old London underground tunnels could have new life as cycle ways
London Underline project plans to turn disused underground railway lines into a traffic-free cycle route
Disused underground tunnels in London could be made into cycle ways if award-winning plans are given the go-ahead.
Design firm Gensler has come up with the innovate idea of transforming tunnels that are no longer used on the underground network into subterranean streets.
Given the pre-planning title of the London Underline project, the London Planning Awards last month named the idea the Best Conceptual Project.
The disused Piccadilly Line branch from Holborn to Aldwych Station,that is no longer in use, would be one of the routes, as well as the former Jubilee Line tunnel which would connect Green Park and Charing Cross.
Similar tunnels in the capital could also be turned into cycle paths, including at Stockwell and Goodge Street.
Accessible by Tube stations, the tunnels would have kinetic paving which would use footfall to generate energy.
>>> Shock increase in number of cyclists killed or injured on Britain's roads
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While the plans have won acclaim and would undoubtedly reduce congestion, there are concerns that the relatively short tunnels in comparison to flowing roads could prevent the project from ever beginning as its users would have to access and exit the tunnels by lifts, subsequently adding to the overall journey time.
Gensler says there is scope for shopping facilities, cafes and pedestrian paths to line the cycle paths.
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A freelance sports journalist and podcaster, you'll mostly find Chris's byline attached to news scoops, profile interviews and long reads across a variety of different publications. He has been writing regularly for Cycling Weekly since 2013. In 2024 he released a seven-part podcast documentary, Ghost in the Machine, about motor doping in cycling.
Previously a ski, hiking and cycling guide in the Canadian Rockies and Spanish Pyrenees, he almost certainly holds the record for the most number of interviews conducted from snowy mountains. He lives in Valencia, Spain.
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