London SE1 community website

Elephant & Castle subways closed as surface-level crossings open

London SE1 website team

The pedestrian subways at the junction of Elephant & Castle, Walworth Road and Newington Butts have closed as work on the creation of a new road layout continues.

Elephant & Castle subways closed as surface-level crossings open
Elephant & Castle subways closed as surface-level crossings open
Work is far from complete but pedestrians can now cross the top end of Newington Butts and Walworth Road at ground level

Almost five years to the day since the plans were first announced, fences have appeared around the pedestrian subways and surface-level road crossings have been opened in their place.

Years of wrangling between Southwark Council, Transport for London and the London Development Agency meant that the project was delayed for several years.

The £2.9 million scheme includes wider pavements, improved lighting, extra trees and new cycle lanes and advance stop lines for cyclists.

Last October the former roundabout was replaced with a signalled junction for road traffic and the new layout is due to be completed later this spring.

Transport for London has recently submitted two planning applications for the installation of new Barclays Cycle Hire docking stations on either side of the new junction providing up to 51 new docking points.

The pedestrian subways at the Elephant & Castle's northern roundabout are likely to remain in use for the foreseeable future.

Planning inspector Christopher Bowden has rejected an appeal by Remedia International against the refusal of planning permission for a 52-metre advertising banner on the northern face of Draper House. He rejected TfL's claim that such a large advert would be distracting to drivers negotiating the junction but ruled that the advert would have a "materially harmful effect on the visual amenity of the area".

The SE1 website is supported by people like you
We are part of
Independent Community News Network
Email newsletter

For the latest local news and events direct to your inbox every Monday, you need our weekly email newsletter SE1 Direct.

Archive
News archive from February 1999 to January 2001
Got a story for us?
Contact us with your tip-offs and story ideas.