I love to ride my bicycle

I cycled to work today. I guess that’s a pretty unremarkable thing really. It’s not so far for me to go, it’s not especially steep anywhere. There are even enough people who cycle along parts of the route to make a little social. For me, today, it felt assertive, manly. It was cold and it was the first time I had ridden to work since New Years. (Yes, that resolution isn’t going so well…) What’s that? You want to see my route? Well what about privacy and things like that?

Ah well.

It’s a good route. To cross the north bank of the Thames I make my way through the Victorian Greenwich Foot Tunnel. As far as I’m concerned it’s a life saver. If you took the time to follow the link then you now know that this is a pedestrian tunnel. If you anywhere near as pedantic as I am then you will be wondering how on earth a cyclist can become a pedestrian.

You’re not alone.

Many of the cyclists who pass through the tunnel appear to be confused on this point. Allow me to explain. The tunnel is subject to all sorts of useful laws. One of these classifies the tunnel as a public highway, which may not sound like much but in practical terms it means that the tunnel doesn’t close; it’s open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Another law prohibits cycling through the tunnel. If you ever visit the tunnel you will be able to observe cyclists stood on one pedal in a sort of half-hearted effort to comply with the requirement to walk.

Needless to say, I walk. In a very similar way to the dock workers for whom the tunnel was originally built. Championed by William Crooks and designed by Sir Alexander Binnie, who specialised in crossing over the Thames, the tunnel replaced a rather slip-shod ferry service; quite unlike the fabulous ferries operated in NYC. But that’s a topic for another day.