Rotherhithe Tunnel

[me..me..me]

Well done, and your letter is well-worded (and illustrated) and useful. However, I am not getting back into this one again! Heading out that way next week, and sorry not to go through the dear old Rotherhithe tunnel*, but I'll take another route.
* perhaps more 'grim old Rotherhithe Tunnel'

Yep fair enough I only ever used it once as both the Blackwall and Woolwich Ferry were closed so was annoying. As an historic tunnel I wouldn't recommend anyone using it unless absolutely necessary..... you do need to breathe in and hold your breathe anyway to squeeze thro in a Cali!!
Hope it's some use maybe but I recommend not driving in London at all is the best way to avoid any nonsense !*"?

 

[ejmoore]

We found a new and nicer way from south London up to Essex / Suffolk on Sunday - South Circular, A2, Dartford Crossing, A12. It cost £2.50 each way but that's preferable to a fine or a traffic jam. And it avoids those tight corners in the tunnel!

First trip out of London since the lockdown - what a treat!

 

[Barbara]

We found a new and nicer way from south London up to Essex / Suffolk on Sunday - South Circular, A2, Dartford Crossing, A12. It cost £2.50 each way but that's preferable to a fine or a traffic jam. And it avoids those tight corners in the tunnel!

First trip out of London since the lockdown - what a treat!

Dartford Tunnel is most likely better than normal at present but can be very busy. For example one Friday afternoon leaving Abbey wood I queued for at least 6 traffic light changes where A206 joins the road to the crossing. Not helped by the closeness of Lakeside and Bluewater shopping centres. After that I now use the A2 as you get to join the queue for the crossing easier. However great view in other direction going over the bridge. I am missing my trips to Abbey wood. If you go south again on A12 there is a lay-by with a cafe that does really good bacon rolls.

 

[ejmoore]

Thanks - heading up that way again on Thursday (for work this time) but will leave at 06:00 and not come home till late evening - no hardship to have supper in the van, but those bacon rolls sound tempting.

 

[Amarillo]

A Dartford River crossing bypass is being built. Unfortunately it won't be open until 2027.



There is also a second crossing proposed at the Greenwich Peninsula. If built, it seems likely that the Blackwall Tunnel and the new Silvertown tunnel will be tolled.


However, my favorite crossing is the Woolwich Ferry. It is free and only a short way upstream from Abbey Wood.

 

[steve_b]

Interesting that my 2008 SE explicitly has "M1" in the vehicle category (J) section of the V5 whereas others seem to not have.

The lottery of life!

 

[66tim99]

Just been fined £160 for driving through the Rotherhithe Tunnel. I saw the height restriction but missed anything else, and am not aware of another road where the California is restricted but eg a Range Rover isn't, and was in heavy traffic, so I breathed in and squeezed through the tunnel.

Contravention: Failing to comply with a prohibition on certain types of vehicle: Goods vehicles exceeding mass gross weight indicated.

The website states:
Vehicles are not safe to travel through the Rotherhithe Tunnel if they are:

• More than 2 metres (6.5 feet) high OR
• More than 2 metres (6.5 feet) wide OR
• Goods vehicles weighing more than 2 tonnes gross vehicle weight (GVW)

Drivers of these vehicles could be fined up to £160 for every journey they make through the tunnel.

I'm going to appeal on the basis the California is not a goods vehicle. I have little hope of winning, but then I know I can't use that tunnel again for sure.

 

[jonnystrong2000]

Just been fined £160 for driving through the Rotherhithe Tunnel. I saw the height restriction but missed anything else, and am not aware of another road where the California is restricted but eg a Range Rover isn't, and was in heavy traffic, so I breathed in and squeezed through the tunnel.

Contravention: Failing to comply with a prohibition on certain types of vehicle: Goods vehicles exceeding mass gross weight indicated.

The website states:
Vehicles are not safe to travel through the Rotherhithe Tunnel if they are:

• More than 2 metres (6.5 feet) high OR
• More than 2 metres (6.5 feet) wide OR
• Goods vehicles weighing more than 2 tonnes gross vehicle weight (GVW)

Drivers of these vehicles could be fined up to £160 for every journey they make through the tunnel.

I'm going to appeal on the basis the California is not a goods vehicle. I have little hope of winning, but then I know I can't use that tunnel again for sure.

Appeal as they probably think it is panel van ‘N’ on V5 v ‘M1’ this happened to me elsewhere when the plod thought my 8 seater Ford Tourneo Custom minibus (M1 - Car) was a Ford Custom Panel van, I sent them pics of the side window and passenger seat and they rescinded the charge

 

[Explorer]

Just been fined £160 for driving through the Rotherhithe Tunnel. I saw the height restriction but missed anything else, and am not aware of another road where the California is restricted but eg a Range Rover isn't, and was in heavy traffic, so I breathed in and squeezed through the tunnel.

Contravention: Failing to comply with a prohibition on certain types of vehicle: Goods vehicles exceeding mass gross weight indicated.

The website states:
Vehicles are not safe to travel through the Rotherhithe Tunnel if they are:

• More than 2 metres (6.5 feet) high OR
• More than 2 metres (6.5 feet) wide OR
• Goods vehicles weighing more than 2 tonnes gross vehicle weight (GVW)

Drivers of these vehicles could be fined up to £160 for every journey they make through the tunnel.

I'm going to appeal on the basis the California is not a goods vehicle. I have little hope of winning, but then I know I can't use that tunnel again for sure.

Does you’re DVLA record says M1?

 

[66tim99]

Does you’re DVLA record says M1?

I don't think so. It is a motorcaravan private/light goods vehicle which I think is N1, but I can't see either on the V5C. The type approval number starts with E1...

 

[The Tall Luthier]

Just been fined £160 for driving through the Rotherhithe Tunnel. I saw the height restriction but missed anything else, and am not aware of another road where the California is restricted but eg a Range Rover isn't, and was in heavy traffic, so I breathed in and squeezed through the tunnel.

Contravention: Failing to comply with a prohibition on certain types of vehicle: Goods vehicles exceeding mass gross weight indicated.

The website states:
Vehicles are not safe to travel through the Rotherhithe Tunnel if they are:

• More than 2 metres (6.5 feet) high OR
• More than 2 metres (6.5 feet) wide OR
• Goods vehicles weighing more than 2 tonnes gross vehicle weight (GVW)

Drivers of these vehicles could be fined up to £160 for every journey they make through the tunnel.

I'm going to appeal on the basis the California is not a goods vehicle. I have little hope of winning, but then I know I can't use that tunnel again for sure.

Gutted for you Tim.

I suspect that if all the available signage is not applicable to a Cali, then it is not enforceable, although you may have to let it go further than you like down the legal system.

I usually find a nicely worded letter does the trick.

 

[ejmoore]

Just been fined £160 for driving through the Rotherhithe Tunnel. I saw the height restriction but missed anything else, and am not aware of another road where the California is restricted but eg a Range Rover isn't, and was in heavy traffic, so I breathed in and squeezed through the tunnel.

Contravention: Failing to comply with a prohibition on certain types of vehicle: Goods vehicles exceeding mass gross weight indicated.

The website states:
Vehicles are not safe to travel through the Rotherhithe Tunnel if they are:

• More than 2 metres (6.5 feet) high OR
• More than 2 metres (6.5 feet) wide OR
• Goods vehicles weighing more than 2 tonnes gross vehicle weight (GVW)

Drivers of these vehicles could be fined up to £160 for every journey they make through the tunnel.

I'm going to appeal on the basis the California is not a goods vehicle. I have little hope of winning, but then I know I can't use that tunnel again for sure.

Good luck with that, if you've got time to pursue it. Lots of useful information on this thread, from when I went (unsuccessfully) through a similar exercise a few years ago. In the end I decided not to continue further with it as:
(a) I'm self-employed and so time is money, and
(b) I'm self-employed as a historic buildings architect and so am mindful of the potential damage heavy vehicles can do to a historic structure like the Rotherhithe tunnel, whether permitted or not.

I still miss going through the tunnel though - always enjoyed its oddity - I suppose I could go through on my bike but somehow that's not a very appealing prospect. And probably forbidden anyway.

Hope it works out for you!

 

[66tim99]

When you follow the "check your vehicle to see if you are affected" on TfL's website it takes you through to say "One charge applies to this vehicle" - the Congestion Charge...no mention of the restriction.
I have appealed with a nicely worded representation. I fully expect to have to pay the fine.

 

[Amarillo]

Just been fined £160 for driving through the Rotherhithe Tunnel. I saw the height restriction but missed anything else, and am not aware of another road where the California is restricted but eg a Range Rover isn't, and was in heavy traffic, so I breathed in and squeezed through the tunnel.

Contravention: Failing to comply with a prohibition on certain types of vehicle: Goods vehicles exceeding mass gross weight indicated.

The website states:
Vehicles are not safe to travel through the Rotherhithe Tunnel if they are:

• More than 2 metres (6.5 feet) high OR
• More than 2 metres (6.5 feet) wide OR
• Goods vehicles weighing more than 2 tonnes gross vehicle weight (GVW)

Drivers of these vehicles could be fined up to £160 for every journey they make through the tunnel.

I'm going to appeal on the basis the California is not a goods vehicle. I have little hope of winning, but then I know I can't use that tunnel again for sure.

It will all hinge on your V5 classification M1 or N1.

It seems desperately unfair, especially as two similar vans used exclusively as campervans get such different classifications.

 

[andyinluton]

am not aware of another road where the California is restricted but eg a Range Rover isn't,

Theres one I can think of - Outer Circle of Regents Park, its got a 3 tonne weight limit & a new Ocean is 3.08 tonne.

 

[jonnystrong2000]

I don't think so. It is a motorcaravan private/light goods vehicle which I think is N1, but I can't see either on the V5C. The type approval number starts with E1...

J: Vehicle Category on V5

 

[john mar]

It will be interesting to know if you win. I use to drive a black cab ,just about 2 tons and did not use the tunnel. Good Luck.
Off topic a little did you know why the tunnel has bends in it.

When horse drawn carts used the tunnel if the horse saw the light/end of the tunnel it would bolt. That's why it has bends.

 

[Amarillo]

It will be interesting to know if you win. I use to drive a black cab ,just about 2 tons and did not use the tunnel. Good Luck.
Off topic a little did you know why the tunnel has bends in it.

When horse drawn carts used the tunnel if the horse saw the light/end of the tunnel it would bolt. That's why it has bends.

Probably an urban myth.

“It includes sharp bends at the location of the shafts. This allowed the sections between the shafts to be straight, thus reducing the complexity of construction and avoiding the foundations of the docks. An urban myth is that the bends were installed to prevent horses from seeing daylight at the end of the tunnel too early, which might make them bolt for the exit.”

Rotherhithe Tunnel - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

 

[westfalia]

They're both urban myths,
Truth is - they didn't know what they were doing.

 

[WelshGas]

Probably an urban myth.

“It includes sharp bends at the location of the shafts. This allowed the sections between the shafts to be straight, thus reducing the complexity of construction and avoiding the foundations of the docks. An urban myth is that the bends were installed to prevent horses from seeing daylight at the end of the tunnel too early, which might make them bolt for the exit.”

Rotherhithe Tunnel - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

The Laerdel Tunnel in Norway, some 20+km long is built with curves deliberately so that there is no vanishing point which, apparently , can disorient drivers.

The World's Longest Road Tunnel - Laerdal Tunnel, Norway - Verdict Traffic

In June 1992, the Norwegian Parliament decided to construct the world’s longest road tunnel, known as the Laerdal tunnel.

www.roadtraffic-technology.com

 

[john mar]

The amount of people I told that story to in my cab and I was wrong.lol.

The Story of the Rotherhithe Tunnel

A few days ago, regular contributor Coral Rutterford sent a photograph of a medal marking the opening of the Rotherhithe Tunnel in 1908. The medal belongs to her brother Tony Holmes who found it ma…

isleofdogslife.wordpress.com

 

[john mar]

I've told so many stories to people about London ,hope they are not all wrong.

 

[ejmoore]

Wow, I see from the history of the Rotherhithe Tunnel that you can actually walk through it as a pedestrian - might try that one day, if it's still possible. I think I'll keep my mask on.

 

[Amarillo]

Wow, I see from the history of the Rotherhithe Tunnel that you can actually walk through it as a pedestrian - might try that one day, if it's still possible. I think I'll keep my mask on.

I’ve walked through it twice and cycled through about a dozen times.

It is not a pleasant experience, but at least by bike it is over in about 5 minutes.

The air is hot and thick with car fumes as the ventilation is so poor and it is a relief when you reach the fresh air at the other end.

Although vehicles are restricted to 20mph and the footway relatively wide, you need to walk close to the carriageway due to the curvature of the tunnel and cars are close to the kerb because of the restricted width of the two-way carriageway; this combines to give you a feeling of vulnerability to the cars which feel as if they are travelling far faster than their actual speed.

Walking through the tunnel is an experience that you will remember, but not a particularly pleasant experience. Despite it linking an area of high population density (Southwark) with an area of high employment (Limehouse and Canary Wharf) only ~20 by foot and ~150 by bicycle pass through the tunnel daily.

In contrast, the proposed Rotherhithe to Canary Wharf footbridge would take tens of thousands on a carbon neutral commute.

Scrapped plans for a vital walking and cycling bridge in London

Transport for London (TfL) has announced that it has scrapped plans for a new walking and cycle Thames crossing from Canary Wharf to Rotherhithe in London. This came a day after plans to build the Silvertown tunnel, a four-lane motorway in east London, were revealed.

www.sustrans.org.uk

The Rotherhithe Tunnel is the only cycleable crossing of the Thames downstream of Tower Bridge.

 

[ejmoore]

Thanks! Maybe I'll try cycling through early on a Sunday morning or some time like that, when it might be quieter. But even walking down the steps & crossing the road by thd tunnel entrance was quite unpleasant, with a definite sense of 'not meant to be doing this'.