TunnelBore

Delight at City Airport Expansion Decision

2011-01-20T18:27:00.002+01:00

The decision by the High Court to reject an attempt by a campaign group to block an increase in the number of flights using London City Airport has been greeted with delight by thousands of local residents and workers, and international business visitors and tourists. As a result of the ruling, the airport will be able to increase the total number of flights to 120,000 annually, while still maintaining the peace for local residents with its restricted hours of operation.

A regular user of the Blackwall Tunnel and City Airport told us "This is fantastic news. I look forward to being able to fly to a wider choice of destinations with more frequent flights from London City Airport in the future. This is definitely the right decision from the High Court to reject the objections from noisy campaign groups representing a minority of residents. The judges chose to support the true democratic process and the correct behaviour of Newham Council. The silent majority of local residents will be quietly overjoyed at the boost this will give to the local economy and opportunities for people who live and work in the area".

A close friend of a regular user of City Airport told us "Flying in and out of City Airport is always a pleasure, with rapid check-in and security procedures, comfortable lounges, short walks to the planes and short wait at baggage claim. This decision will probably help to cut my personal carbon emissions as I will be able hop on the Docklands Light Railway to and from the airport more often, instead of using my car, struggling in traffic to reach one of London's other airports".

Mayor Attacked for Two-Wheeled Waste

2010-08-17T18:03:00.003+01:00

Just over two weeks after the launch of the much heralded London Barclays Cycle Hire Scheme, struggling London Mayor Boris Johnson has come under fire for squandering huge sums from Transport for London's budget on an ineffective scheme.

A regular user of the Blackwall Tunnel told us "Today is a fine, sunny day. A snapshot of the number of cycles available in the cycle hire scheme docking stations right at the heart of the rush hour at 5.27pm¹ showed that only 15% of the estimated 5000 available cycles were in use at this time. I do not think there any other mode of transport in London, be it bus, tube, train or major road, used to only 15% of its capacity during rush hour. Mayor Johnson has poured millions of pounds into this wasteful scheme which is proving under used and ineffective. Instead of focusing on this vanity scheme aimed uniquely at the able bodied in a tight zone of Central London, Mr Johnson should be funding transport improvements of greater benefit to all".

A close friend of a regular user of the Blackwall Tunnel told us "I have heard that there is anecdotal evidence that many of the journeys made by the hire bikes were previously made on foot which means the scheme is possibly having even less impact on overcrowded public transport and roads than projected, and possibly making road congestion even worse as tens of inexperienced cyclists may be straying across lanes and hindering the progress of cars and buses at any one time".

Mr Johnson made a pledge to decrease "street clutter" in his 2008 "Way to Go" transport document. The Barclays Cycle Scheme has seen the introduction of over 300 bank branded cycle docking stations in Central London.

Thousands of users of the Blackwall Tunnel remain frustrated at the Mayor's central London cycling obsession and the complete absence of any clear direction or decision on enhancing road capacity across the River Thames in East London following his axing of the Thames Gateway Bridge scheme.

¹Data extracted via the the excellent API at http://borisapi.heroku.com/ using data from the London Datastore.

Tunnel Failure Explains "Invisible Johnson"

2010-04-23T18:22:00.002+01:00

With the UK General Election now less than 2 weeks away, Eton-educated struggling Tory London Mayor Mr Boris Johnson has been conspicuous by his absence in Conservative campaigning in South East London.

A regular user of the Blackwall Tunnel told us "Mr Johnson is never usually shy of a photo opportunity, however absurd, but my guess is the Tory Party election chiefs are forcing him to keep a low profile as they try not to be associated with Johnson's failures and broken election promises. Mr Johnson's failures to deliver on his election pledges include failing to re-instate the tidal flow at the Blackwall Tunnel, failure to deliver running London Underground trains later on Friday's and Saturdays, failure to keep a promise to keep all London Underground ticket offices manned, his vicious slashing of police numbers in London putting the security of millions at risk", and hitting the low paid hard by increasing bus fares by up to 20%."

A second user of the Blackwall Tunnel told us exclusively "We could expect the same long list of broken promises from Eton educated Tory leader David Cameron. Despite their attempts to distance themselves from Mr Johnson, I do not see why we should trust the Tories. Thousands of Londoners have been hit by Mr Johnson's failures and decisions. They may continue to talk about "Change", but if "Change" is pushing the country back into recession, forcing thousands of people out of work, making it easier for the super wealthy to get even richer and hitting those most in need hardest, then that is the type of change that will be rejected by millions on election day".

Joy at Tunnel Upgrade News

2010-01-25T14:03:00.002+01:00

The news that the western bore of the Blackwall Tunnel is set to benefit from a £70 million pound refurbishment program has been greeted with joy by many regular users of this jewel of London's transport infrastructure. The works, due to commence in February 2010, will see improved ventilation, lighting and communications systems installed to enhance the beauty of the Victorian tunnel. To minimize disruption during the 3 years the work is expected to take, the western bore will be closed between 21:00 and 05:00 Sunday to Friday, and northbound traffic will be diverted via the eastern bore which will be closed to southbound traffic. Traffic heading south will be required to use other river crossings during this period. The only exception to this closure will be the 108 bus route between Stratford and Lewisham which will be escorted southbound every 30 minutes between 01:00 and 05:00 while northbound traffic is held.

A regular user of the Blackwall Tunnel told us "This refurbishment work is fantastic news. I hope that the contractors BAM Nuttall treat the 19th century splendour of the tunnel with the sensitivity this triumph of Victorian engineering deserves while at the same time incorporating 21st century safety features. When the work is completed, thousands of travellers and visitors to the capital will be able to experience the undisputed beauty of the tunnel 24 hours a day".

Mayor's 20% Fare Whammy Hits Tunnel Users

2010-01-04T17:23:00.002+01:00

Users of the 108 bus route between Lewisham and Stratford, the only London bus route to cross the River Thames via the Blackwall Tunnel, have been rocked by the 20% increase in their fares which came into effect on Saturday 2nd January. The shocking decision by failing Tory London Mayor Boris Johnson to increase the cost of a single bus journey in London from £1 to £1.20 for users of pay-as-you go Oyster cards, with a similar percentage rise for bus passes, has been described in some quarters as "obscene". Users of London Underground are thought to be relieved at facing much smaller increases.

A friend of a regular user of the Blackwall Tunnel told us "This massive increase in the cost of bus travel is an obscene and vicious attack set to hit hard working Londoners on a low wage most. A pay-as-you-go commuter taking 2 buses per day will spend in excess of £100 more on travel costs over a year. This massive price hike appears to have been deliberately targeted by the Conservative Party's London Mayor Mr Johnson at those least able to afford it".

A close relative of a regular user of the Blackwall Tunnel also told us "Mr Johnson is doing nothing to tempt visitors and tourists to explore the capital. Previously, it was possible to take a 108 bus on a magical chauffeur driven journey through the Blackwall Tunnel for just £1 with Oyster card pay-as-you-go. Any tourist wishing to do this now will be hit by this disgusting 20% price increase."

Mr Johnson is set to deliver a further massive financial blow to users of the Blackwall Tunnel who continue their car journey in to central London later in the year when a 25% increase in the Central London Congestion Charge comes into force.

Mayor's Policy Void Exposed

2009-10-02T12:19:00.003+01:00

Struggling London Mayor, Boris Johnson, finally appeared as himself in his much-trailed cameo role in the struggling BBC soap opera "Eastenders" yesterday evening. The soap opera, set in the fictional East London Borough of Walford, has been running on the BBC since 1985, but has seen ratings plunge in recent years. The publicity stunt backfired badly when Mr Johnson was seen inviting the landlady of the Queen Victoria pub, Ms Peggy Mitchell to contact him if she had any ideas on how to improve Walford. Seventeen months into his tenure as Mayor, Mr Johnson was cruelly exposed as being devoid of ideas and vision for the capital on national television.

Ms Mitchell's family history suggests that high on her agenda for the Mayor would be acceptance and leniency for the bullying and intimidation by younger members of her family, gun crime, attempted insurance fraud and fake passport scams.

A regular user of the Blackwall Tunnel told us "Mr Johnson could have used the opportunity to show that he understood the daily problems faced by residents in the fictional borough, and how he might have been able to improve transport opportunities if they ever wished to travel 'sarf of the river' using the Blackwall Tunnel or other crossings. Instead, he devoured this opportunity for vacuous self-publicity but was exposed as flailing and scraping around for policy ideas in a fictional public house. Mr Johnson has a notoriously poor record in appointing advisers and deputy mayors, so there his no surprise he seemed open to granting a special role to Ms Mitchell".

Tunnel Joy at New York Link Launch

2009-09-29T12:44:00.003+01:00

Scenes of joy swept across East London this lunchtime as the first scheduled flight between London City Airport and New York's John F Kennedy airport left the gate ahead of schedule at 12.44 and was seen soaring over the northern approach to the Blackwall Tunnel just minutes later. The flight, an Airbus A318 with the iconic flight number BA001, is scheduled to land in New York at 17.15 local time.

A regular user of the Blackwall Tunnel told us "With just 32 seats, on-board Internet connection and the opportunity to clear US immigration during the refuelling at Shannon Airport in Ireland, this service will be a massive boost to business travellers on both sides of the Atlantic, strengthening the ties between the two great cities, and encouraging US businesses to invest in the east of London. It could also give more American visitors the opportunity to visit the Blackwall Tunnel, one of London's finest working transport heritage attractions".

Johnson Admits Manifesto Failure on Tunnel Tidal Flow

2009-09-21T14:19:00.003+01:00

Thousands of users of the Blackwall Tunnel were unsurprised to hear on Friday that the manifesto pledge of struggling Tory London Mayor, Mr Boris Johnson, to re-instate the morning rush hour contraflow in the eastern bore of the Blackwall Tunnel would not be fulfilled. As a guest of BBC London's stunning blond presenter, Vanessa Feltz, Mayor Johnson was forced to admit the humiliating end to yet another election pledge and disclosed that reinstating the tidal flow in defiance of police recommendations would leave the Mayor's senior officials open to prosecution under corporate manslaughter laws in the event of a serious accident or fatality.

A regular user of the Blackwall Tunnel told us "This was a cheap, populist pledge for easy votes in the south eastern suburbs of London and has now been exposed as a lie. Mr Johnson either chose to neglect studying the feasibility and legal implications of reinstating the tidal flow prior to making his manifesto pledge or chose to deliberately mislead the electorate in his quest for power. On the positive side, all northbound traffic will continue to have the opportunity to experience the structural finery of the western bore of the tunnel, saving the 1960s quasi-brutalism of the eastern bore for southbound journeys only".

Research by TunnelBore staff has failed to find any previous release of the end of this manifesto pledge by either the Mayor's office or Transport for London. Another user of the Blackwall Tunnel told us "This appears to have been an exclusive for Ms Feltz's show. It looks like Mr Johnson and his £102,750 per year transport guru, Mr Kulveer Ranger, were desperately trying to cover up the legal problems, hoping everyone would just forget the tidal flow. Opaqueness seems to reign at the Mayor's office when it comes to decisions affecting the daily life of millions, but they seem only too happy to make vacuous announcements such as a world premiere for Disney's A Christmas Carol in London".

Mr Johnson's office have not been contacted to address the question of why they failed to make the announcement that reinstatement of the peak time tidal flow faced legal difficulties which was of interest to thousands of London's road users . The Mayor's humiliating climb down and admission that he has been "struggling" can be heard 24 minutes 30 seconds into the audio clip on the BBC site.

Mayor Sponsored Traffic Chaos Ends

2009-09-21T11:22:00.004+01:00

Traffic on London's streets has returned to normal on Monday morning following the misery and frustration endured by thousands of drivers on Sunday due to the Skyride cycling event, endorsed and funded by Tory Mayor of London, Boris Johnson. Chaos in central London followed the closure of several miles of roads to motor vehicles for the exclusive benefit of cyclists. Many visitors to London were plunged into confusion when they found their preferred routes blocked by the Mayor's cycling mayhem on seeking to take advantage of the excellent annual Open House weekend, an opportunity to gain entry to buildings and spaces many of which are rarely open to the public.

A regular user of the Blackwall Tunnel told us "Mr Johnson's apparent cycling obsession is a disaster for the city. Driving through the centre of capital on a Sunday is often a pleasure compared to other days of the week, and this is a simple pleasure which Mr Johnson seems determined to destroy. Several thousand pounds were poured into publicising the event, but information on road closures was difficult to find. The Mayor obviously enjoys publicity stunts, but fails consistently to deliver on detail or vision."

City Airport Prison Plane Horror

2009-09-17T13:13:00.005+01:00

Several users of the Blackwall Tunnel were forced to face minutes of misery yesterday on board a plane which had just landed at East London's favourite airport after a short flight from Paris. Late arrival of the steps at the plane to enable disembarkation resulted in an estimated 60 passengers being trapped on the plane facing a traumatic time.

A passenger on the plane and close friend of a regular user of the Blackwall Tunnel told us "It was becoming like hell on earth in the confined spaces of the plane. Despite the regular reassurances of the cabin crew, some suited businessmen were beginning to sweat profusely, probably eager to return to their families or to reach some adulterous rendezvous in a local hotel or knocking shop. With London City Airport set for an exciting increase in the number of flights, I can only hope that they order enough steps to cope with the demand."

Passengers are reported to have disembarked safely a maximum of 10 minutes after the arrival of the plane. Trauma counselling was not offered to the passengers impacted.

Information Boost for Tunnel Users

2009-09-04T17:38:00.003+01:00

A new one-stop shop traffic information web site now provides users of the Blackwall Tunnel with a consolidated view of road news and traffic web cams in the vicinity of the Blackwall Tunnel. The site, http://www.blackwalltunnel.com/, brings together information previosuly available only after trawling through several links from organizations such as the BBC or Transport for London on to a single page.

In an exclusive interview, the creator of the new website told TunnelBore "Basically I created the site out of pure frustration of not having easy access to the latest information on traffic congestion and accidents at the tunnel when sitting stationary in the car during a long tailback or just before leaving home or work. Personally I cross the river at least 2 to 4 times a day and so I have plenty of time to think about the tunnel, traffic, lack of mobile reception, bad road work and average speed camera threats".

Thousands of Blackwall Tunnel users are thought to be excited at the potential of the service and are expected to use the main site or the version optimized for mobile phones as part of their regular journey planning.

One regular user of the Blackwall Tunnel and a resident of the London Borough of Greenwich told us "This is a fantastic new site and it is so convenient to have all the information about the status of traffic at the Blackwall Tunnel together on a single page. The creator of the site deserves a huge amount of credit for this simple but elegant solution, terms which could be applied equally well to the Blackwall Tunnel itself. Knowing the status of the traffic before setting out on a journey to use the tunnel can only add to the pleasure of the experience".

Johnson at Heart of Mediocrity Scandal

2009-09-03T13:08:00.002+01:00

With several urgent issues facing the capital requiring intervention by struggling Tory Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, many Londoners were stunned to see that Mr Johnson found time to jump on the sporting bandwagon and issue a press release congratulating the England cricket team for their victory in the 2009 Ashes series.

The choice of cricketers Mr Johnson chose to highlight has sparked more controversy. A regular user of the Blackwall Tunnel told us "Singling out Andrew Flintoff and Monty Panesar as persons to inspire young people is bizarre showing Mr Johnson's detachment from reality and lack of attention to detail. Flintoff is more famous for his drinking activities off the pitch than his statistically mediocre test career and woeful record as England captain. Panesar failed to achieve even the heights of mediocrity in the latest Ashes series, playing one match, scoring 11 runs, and taking 1 wicket at a cost of 115 runs. Surely Mr Johnson could find better than mediocre role models to inspire the capital's young. Sadly, this is symptomatic of Mr Johnson's lack of vision, allowing the capital to aspire to mediocrity and not the greatness always encouraged by his predecessor as Mayor of London".

Further frustration at Mr Johnson's comments were expressed by another regular user of the Blackwall Tunnel and resident of the leafy, opulent outer London Brorough of Bexley who told us "I had the misfortune to be in Bexleyheath on a Friday evening recently and can confirm that I saw too many young men apparently inspired by and trying to emulate the drinking feats of Andrew Flintoff. Mr Johnson should be condemning the binge drinking culture and not encouraging it with his curious choice of role models".

Great Unwashed Threat to Tunnel Traffic

2009-08-26T17:08:00.003+01:00

Latest reports suggest that climate change and anti-capitalism protesters are converging on Blackheath in South East London, off the A2 and close to the A102 Blackwall Tunnel southern approach. Police are reported to be allowing the work-shy mob to set up their so-called Climate Camp on the beautiful, historic heath. Blackheath has views of the City of London and Canary Wharf skyline where thousands of diligent and dedicated workers will continue to generate wealth for the nation while the slackers spend a week watching the grass grow, discussing lentils, and some possibly indulging in sexual intercourse.

Thousands of users of the Blackwall Tunnel are crossing their fingers hoping that the protesters will not choose to disrupt traffic on the tunnel approach with their bicycles, Ford Transit vans, old VW Beetles and hand-painted tie-dyed banners during the morning and evening rush hours. A regular user of the Blackwall Tunnel told us "I think any disruption in the mornings will be unlikely, as I doubt that any of the participants at the camp ever emerge from their bed before noon."

A resident of the leafy, opulent outer London Borough of Bexley told us "I admit to being slightly confused to see so many soap dodgers in one place at one time under the banner of Climate Camp. I thought that Climate Camp would be similar to Theatrical Camp and be a collection of luvvies with foulards looking up to the sky with one hand on their hip and the other bearing a cigarette holder saying things like 'It looks like rain, sweetie' and 'Ooh, you had better get your lallies out of the sun'".

None of the protesters were contacted for comment. A large number of the protetsers are thought to be in possession of modern capitalist communication tools such as mobile phones and Blackberrys.

Tunnel Key Route for Football Thugs

2009-08-26T14:05:00.002+01:00

The second round Carling Cup tie between London rivals West Ham United and Millwall on Tuesday 25th August 2009 was marred by violent clashes between the two sets of supporters. Several fans of South East London League One club Millwall are thought to have used the Blackwall Tunnel to reach Upton Park, the ground of struggling Premiership outfit West Ham United, in time for the evening kick-off.

A regular user of the Blackwall Tunnel told us "In addition to life bans from football matches for those identified as being involved in the disturbances, I would like to see them banned from using the Blackwall Tunnel too. The violent thugs pose a risk to the beauty and integrity of the Blackwall Tunnel."

TunnelBore Blog Nominated for Prestigeous Web Award

2009-07-10T19:10:00.002+01:00

Following a recent blog entry regarding the new all business class British Airways service from London City Airport to New York, an anonymous commenter nominated the TunnelBore blog for the "biggest waste of time BLOGs on the WEB" award.

A spokesman for the TunnelBore blog said "To be nominated for any award is flattering and I am DEEPLY honoured. I expect to meet some STIFF competition in this category."

The date for the announcement of the shortlist for the award is not known.

Tunnel User Hopes for London City Landmark

2009-07-09T14:27:00.003+01:00

The day after London City Airport received the go-ahead to increase the number of flights in and out of the airport from 80,000 to120,000 a year, a regular user of the Blackwall Tunnel reveals he could possibly be the 1,500,000th passenger to travel through London City Airport this year. Although passenger numbers at the airport are down by 14% compared to 2008, the 1.5 million passenger landmark is on track to be passed during July.

The tunnel user, who is booked on a flight to Paris next week, told us "It would be a great honour to be the airport's 1.5 millionth passenger this year, although I do not expect the airport to celebrate the occasion. The news on the on the increase in the number of flights is wonderful. I do not expect a large increase in flights immediately bearing in mind the current economic climate, but the airport can now plan for the future. Long term, this will be a huge benefit to residents and businesses in London and make a growing contribution to the local economy and community boosting investment and jobs. "

Tunnel Users Benefit from City Airport Boost

2009-07-08T14:00:00.007+01:00

Recent figures published show that delays at London City Airport were significantly lower than the average reported for 10 major UK airports in the first three months of 2009. The average delay at London City Airport was less than 9 minutes (compared to the 10 UK airport average of nearly 12 minutes), with nearly 85% of flights being delayed by less than 15 minutes (compared to the 10 UK airport average of only 81%). These figures represent a major improvement compared to the equivalent period in 2008.

An occasional user of City Airport and regular user of the Blackwall Tunnel told us "In addition to the easy access, swift check-in, and short walk from check-in desk to the planes at London City Airport, these figures are testimony to the fantastic efforts of all airline and airport employees. I think the airport is critical to the future prosperity of the City and has a huge role to play in attracting businesses and investors. The high level of performance with respect to delays at City Airport compared to other London Airports is a boost for the thousands of business and leisure travellers who use the airport on a regular basis. I only wish queuing periods in the morning and evening rush hours at the Blackwall Tunnel were as reliable!"

Blackwall Tunnel Contributes to City Airport Success

2009-07-07T12:57:00.002+01:00

London City Airport's annual Fun Day attracted a record number of 26,000 visitors on Saturday 4th July. Several of the visitors are thought to have reached the airport by travelling through the Blackwall Tunnel. Top attractions offered to attendees at the event included the opportunity to board two aircraft and cabin crew workshops for children. Two emergency exits are reported to have been located at the front of the plane, two at the rear, with a life jacket and attached whistle to be found under each seat.

A regular user of the Blackwall Tunnel told us "London City Airport is a fantastic facility for the City and all points east. The Blackwall Tunnel places a vital role in making the airport accessible to millions who live south of the River Thames."

Greenwich to Greenwich Village via Blackwall Tunnel and City Airport

2009-06-23T18:45:00.003+01:00

Scenes of joy in south east London today greeted the news that British Airways plans to start its exclusive service from London City Airport to New York JFK airport on 29th September, 2009.

A resident of the London Borough of Greenwich and regular user of the Blackwall Tunnel told us "This is fantastic news. It will be possible to go from Greenwich to City Airport via the stunning beauty of the Blackwall Tunnel, jump on a plane and just hours later take a short detour via another of the world's finest road tunnels, the Brooklyn-Battery Tunnel, to reach Greenwich Village. We are so lucky to have City Airport so close by to benefit from this service. I plan to start saving up for a ticket now".

London City Airport is located around 3 miles to the east of the northern entrance of the Blackwall Tunnel. The existing flight schedules to several UK and European cities will soon be complimented by the airport's first transatlantic destination.

Ranger Under Fire as Tunnel Users Faced Misery

2009-06-15T12:37:00.004+01:00

A vehicle breakdown in the northbound Blackwall Tunnel during the rush hour during the morning of 11th June compounded the congestion problems already provoked by the 48 hour tube strike by members of the RMT union which Tory London Mayor, Mr Boris Johnson, took no action to resolve.

In an apparent pursuit of a party political agenda, Mr Kulveer Ranger, who holds the unelected position of Director of Transport Policy in the Mayor's administration, when interviewed on the BBC London breakfast show on Thursday morning^* said that he was proud of the "amazing spirit" of Londoners and their determination to "pulverize the strike". A regular user of the Blackwall Tunnel told us "That is a ridiculous claim by Mr Ranger. The only aim I had was to reach my place of work. I had no desire to pulverize anything or anybody. London commuters are the victims in this union-bating game being played by Mr Johnson".

Mr Ranger, former Vice-Chairman of the Conservative Party, receives a salary of £102,750 for his work as the Mayor's unelected Director of Transport policy. Investigations for the TunnelBore blog failed to identify which part of the job description for Director of Transport was being fulfilled by Mr Ranger's intervention on a prime time radio show to attack the position of a union and its members.
Nobody at the Mayor's office has been contacted for comment.

^*Comments by Mr Ranger can be heard 2 hours 5 minutes 45 seconds into the BBC London Breakfast show from Thursday 11th June, which is available on line for a limited period.

Johnson Posturing Brings Capital to a Standstill

2009-06-10T10:25:00.001+01:00

Furious London commuters are directing their anger at Tory London Mayor Boris Johnson today following his failure to intervene to prevent the 48 hour tube strike called by the Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union. Traffic gridlock was reported in several parts of the capital this morning, with millions of tube users forced to seek alternative routes to work. Queues on the southern approach of the Blackwall Tunnel were reported to reach as far south as the stretch between the Kidbrooke and Sun-in-the-Sands junctions this morning.

A regular user of the Blackwall Tunnel and occasional user of the London Underground told us "I think Mr Johnson is guilty of playing party politics in forcing stalemate between those responsible for the London Underground and the union. It is a similar action to that taken by Mrs Thatcher 25 years ago when she chose to face down the National Union of Mineworkers before crushing the nation's coal mining industry. Mr Johnson was elected as Mayor of London and should be acting in the interests of London's residents, workers and businesses. Instead, he is engaging in 1980's style political posturing pitching the Tory party against the unions to suit his own ambitions. His actions are forcing transport misery on millions. He should resign immediately before his actions damage the capital further."

Johnson's Failure Set to Hit Tunnel Users

2009-06-09T11:17:00.003+01:00

Millions of London commuters will face 2 days of misery when a strike by members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) Union from 1859 BST this evening will bring the London Underground network to a halt for 48 hours.

Struggling Tory London Mayor, Boris Johnson, had announced his intention in his election manifesto in 2008 (page 24) his intention to introduce no-strike deals and binding arbitration to resolve disputes between London Underground and the unions. Failure to deliver on this election promise is set to cause transport chaos in the capital. The Blackwall Tunnel is set to bear its share of more congestion than usual between the 9th and 11th June when masses of tube users will be forced to find alternative methods to reach their places of work. London's trains, buses, roads and pavements are also braced for additional load.

A regular user of the Blackwall Tunnel told us "I am sick of Mr Johnson's continued failures. The Prime Minister Gordon Brown may be struggling, but if there is one politician who needs to resign immediately it is Mr Boris Johnson. He continues to leave election promises unfulfilled and only seems able to bring chaos to the capital losing businesses millions of pounds and causing long term harm to our great city".

Johnson's River Crossing Plans Sunk

2009-06-08T18:51:00.004+01:00

Speculation on this blog eleven months ago that struggling Tory London Mayor Boris Johnson was seeking biblical solutions to resolve rush hour congestion at the Blackwall Tunnel has surfaced again following the release by the BBC of video footage showing Mr Johnson attempting to walk on water.

A regular user of the Blackwall Tunnel told us "The cover story for this appears to be that Mr Johnson was launching a drive to urge London residents to volunteer. To me, it looks more like early shallow water trials for pedestrian crossings of the River Thames. The fact that the experiment ended disastrously with the Eton educated London Mayor up to his armpits in water means the plans have now probably been sunk for ever".

A resident of the leafy, opulent outer London Borough of Bexley and occasional user of the Blackwall Tunnel told us "It is so typical of the left-wing Trotsky bias of the BBC that they should seek to ridicule Mr Johnson in this way by continually hounding him at all his photo opportunities to announce serious policy initiatives. I am also shocked that the BBC also chose to cover his attempt to claim for £16.50 for a Remembrance Sunday wreath on expenses when he was an MP. I believe Mr Johnson when he says this was an genuine mistake on his part."

Questions Over Cycle Plans for Tunnel

2009-05-27T15:35:00.003+01:00

In London's pouring rain on Tuesday 26th May, a drenched Boris Johnson, the Tory Mayor of London, launched a package of cycling events for the summer. Having already slashed several of the capital's major transport projects that would have brought benefits to London residents of all ages and physical capabilities, Mayor Boris Johnson is set to pour a massive £111 million of cash-strapped public funds into projects from which only those fit and able enough to use two wheels for transportation will see any rewards.

In a display of confused public relations from the mayor's office, Eton educated Mr Johnson was accompanied at the cycling launch by ex-Olympic rower, Kingston Grammar educated James Cracknell OBE and not a member of the multi-Olympic medal winning British cycling team. No representative of the British cycling Olympic heroes has been contacted for comment on this apparent snub.

A regular user of the Blackwall Tunnel told us "This looks to me like another example of Mayor Johnson's detachment from reality. It would not surprise me if I heard he was planning to encourage cyclists use the Blackwall Tunnel while the Greenwich foot tunnel is closed for refurbishment."

Birthday Parade for Tunnel

2009-05-22T17:16:00.000+01:00

Thousands of drivers are expected to flock to the Blackwall Tunnel this evening to participate in the parade to celebrate the 102nd anniversary of the official opening of what is now the western (northbound) bore of the Blackwall Tunnel. The original tunnel was officially opened by the Prince of Wales on 22nd May, 1897. The more modern eastern bore was opened 70 years later.

A regular user of the Blackwall Tunnel told us "The Blackwall Tunnel attracts thousands of visitors every day, but the rush hour period on the tunnel's birthday is always a special occasion. As this is the beginning of a holiday weekend, I am expecting even more people than usual to pay homage to one of the most beautiful pieces of London's transport infrastructure which still manages to stun visitors with its astonishing mix of aesthetics and functionality".

Tunnel Unscathed in Expenses Row

2009-05-22T15:17:00.002+01:00

Unsurprisingly, the toll-free Blackwall Tunnel has not been mentioned to date in the thousands of column inches dedicated to the scandal surrounding the expenses claimed by elected members of the UK parliament. Top claims by Tory MPs include Sir Anthony Steen's reimbursement for 500 trees and Sir Peter Viggers' £1,645 claim for a floating duck island.

Despite the factual nature of much of the exposure of excesses, Tory backbencher Nadine Dorries has described how the revelations had bought MPs to a point that was "almost unbearable for any human being to deal with".

Nobody currently experiencing situations of extreme poverty, pain, or famine, or unlucky enough to live in one of the world's war zones was contacted for their opinion on what a constitutes a situation "unbearable for any human being to deal with".

Eton educated Tory leader David Cameron is now coming under fire for his attempts to prevent Conservative MPs from expressing their personal thoughts after issuing several threats to withdraw the party whip or forcing MPs to announce their retirement. A regular user of the Blackwall Tunnel told us "The Tory MPs obviously felt their excessive claims were right and appropriate at the time, so Mr Cameron's position strikes me as an attempt to conceal the true character of his party. The MPs are already in a hole, and should be allowed to keep digging. It could be a very cost effective way to construct a new tunnel under the River Thames".

Tunnel Traffic Emerges from Crisis

2009-05-17T22:40:00.003+01:00

A fatal accident in the proximity of the junction between the A102 southbound and Woolwich Road during the peak evening period on Friday, 15th May 2009 was the first in a chain of events causing traffic chaos for several hours on both sides of the river. Southbound traffic was the first to be impacted with police eventually closing the southbound bore shortly after 6.30pm. During the same period, an incident reported as a bus breakdown the northbound bore led to both the north and southbound bores being closed for a period.

A regular user of the Blackwall Tunnel told us " I was lucky enough to have avoided the incidents completely. I am confident that normal service, and the normal congestion will be resumed for the morning rush hour on Monday."

Mayor Johnson's Transport Failure Hits Millions

2009-05-14T11:58:00.004+01:00

Users of public transport in London are reported to be furious at the inability of Tory London Mayor, Boris Johnson, Transport for London and train operators to deliver the usage of Oyster Card Pay as You Go on national rail services in the capital before 2010. This failure is set to hit millions of journeys by road and rail users, with significant impact in south east London which depends heavily on surface rail services.

A regular user of the Blackwall Tunnel told us "Mr Johnson seems far more interested in sound bites and cyclists than the problems faced by millions of Londoners who use the roads and public transport every day . Being able to use Oyster cards on rail services could encourage more people to choose to travel by train instead of by car, and could result in shorter queues at the Blackwall Tunnel at peak times. The delay until 2010 is catastrophic. Having already killed transport improvement projects such as the Croyden Tramlink extension, Thames Gateway Bridge and Greenwich Waterfront Transit, Mr Johnson's approach to transport is looking disastrous for the capital".

Pay As You Go by Oyster card was introduced on the capital's bus, tube, docklands light railway and tram network in 2004. The office of Mr Johnson has not been contacted for comment.

Tunnel Stays Open as Swine Flue Spreads

2009-05-01T09:32:00.003+01:00

The world facing is the imminent threat of a swine flu pandemic. As panic sweeps the UK, thousands of drivers are relieved that the Blackwall Tunnel, one of the most treasured elements of London's transport infrastructure, has continued to remain open. Risk of transmission of the virus in the tunnel is thought to be minimal as most of the vehicles which use the tunnel are singly occupied, and have all doors and windows closed. Hopes are high that the vital crossing of the river Thames will remain open at all times, even if thousands start to die across the world.

A resident of the leafy, opulent outer London borough of Bexley and regular user of the Blackwall Tunnel told us "It is wonderful that the tunnel has remained open so far. I am sure that people who have the misfortune to use buses, trains and London Underground may not be so lucky and we may be just days away from public transport users receiving advice to wear disposable masks, paper gloves and body suits at all times. These are precautions I always take on the rare occasions on which I am forced to use a bus service. We are fortunate out here in Bexley to be miles away from a London Underground station".

To date 3 cases of swine flu have been confirmed in London. Nobody from the National Health Service or Transport for London has been contacted for comment.

Tunnel Braced for G20 Brouhaha

2009-04-01T10:58:00.003+01:00

The Blackwall Tunnel, a vital link in London's road infrastructure, is braced for disruption over the next two days if there is any overspill from numerous demonstrations planned to mark the G20 summit to be held on Thursday 2nd April, 2009 at London's Excel Centre. Traffic flows around the tunnel could be impacted as international dignitaries are taken in armoured convoys from their central London bases to the East London venue.

A regular user of the Blackwall Tunnel told us "It's a long time since anybody asked me for my opinion about anything. I was surprised to see that there was not an increased police presence at the tunnel today, but maybe the police have plans for tomorrow on the day of the meeting. I did see some calls in the press for workers to dress down today to blend in with the general public. Observing my fellow users of the tunnel this morning, I think that many may have heeded this advice, with several people looking as though they had failed to have a wash and some were even dressed like teachers."

The Excel Centre is located less than two miles from the northern entrance to the Blackwall Tunnel.

Black Week Continues at Blackwall

2009-01-21T13:03:00.001+01:00

On the morning of Wednesday 21st January, it was the turn of of southbound traffic at the Blackwall Tunnel to face massive delays during the morning rush hour as a lane in the eastern bore was closed to enable engineers to carry out urgent repairs. Queues of several miles on the A12 and A13 approaches were reported. Latest indications are that at midday, one lane of the southbound tunnel is still closed to traffic, striking fear into the hearts of thousands of commuters who are now crossing their fingers that both lanes will be open in time for the evening rush hour.

This incident followed the 8 hour closure of the northbound bore during the morning rush hour on Monday 19th January which caused near gridlock across parts of south east London.

A regular user of the Blackwall Tunnel told us "The Blackwall Tunnel is obviously having a tough week. Thousands of northbound road commuters returned to their usual route yesterday morning, eager to verify that the accident on Monday had not caused any visible damage to the glorious, Victorian interior of the western bore. I am happy to report that the tunnel appears to have survived unscathed."

Chaos Clears after Tunnel Re-opening

2009-01-19T16:25:00.002+01:00

Latest updates report that queues for the northbound bore of the Blackwall Tunnel have now cleared following the 8 hour closure of the tunnel this morning. The tunnel re-opened shortly after midday. Local news media reports suggest a lorry hit the tunnel wall and lost its trailer between 4am and 5am. Following the accident, near gridlock was reported across many areas of South East London during the morning rush hour, including Charlton, Woolwich, Blackheath and Greenwich, with northbound queues on the A2 stretching back beyond the Falconwood exit.

A regular user of the Blackwall Tunnel told us "This is the most significant closure of the northbound bore of the Blackwall Tunnel for nearly eleven months. Between the 26th and 27th February, 2008, the western (northbound) bore was closed for almost 30 hours following a diesel spillage. Incidents like this show the critical role the Blackwall Tunnel plays in London's transport infrastructure. Some drivers do not seem to appreciate this, and see it fit to defile its beauty and integrity by colliding with the walls."

New DLR Tunnel Link Opened

2009-01-12T13:39:00.005+01:00

Tory London Mayor, Boris Johnson, left his plush London riverside offices this morning to be present at the official opening of the Docklands Light Railway link to Woolwich Arsenal . The event marked the availability of another crossing of the River Thames to the east of the Blackwall Tunnel. City workers are said to be thrilled at the possibility of being able to access Woolwich, a town centre boasting one of South East London's finest collection of discount stores and branches of all major UK banks, in just 29 minutes from Bank on the new DLR link compared to 25 minutes on the existing surface rail service from Cannon Street.

A regular user of the Blackwall Tunnel told us "Opening the new link to Woolwich Arsenal on time and within budget is a fine engineering achievement, but pales into insignificance when compared to the successful opening of the western bore of the Blackwall Tunnel over 110 years ago. It is no surprise to see struggling London Mayor Boris Johnson trying to steal the limelight at the official opening. He will not have the opportunity to attend the opening of many more major enhancements to London's transport infrastructure during his reign following the mass cancellations he announced to other transport projects which were in the pipeline."

The new DLR link is expected to have a minimal impact of traffic flows at the Blackwall Tunnel. Eye witness accounts this morning reported that traffic queues appeared to be at their longest since January 1st, 2009 despite the new rail option being available to commuters.

Drivers Find Refuge from Big Freeze

2009-01-06T12:03:00.002+01:00

As road users battled with sub-zero temperatures across London this morning, the Blackwall Tunnel was one of the few stretches of the capital's road network to remain above freezing point.

A regular user of the Blackwall Tunnel told us "The temperature recorded in the northbound bore of the tunnel at around 8.30am today was 2.5C, compared to the above ground temperature of around -2C. While the temperature inside the tunnel could not be described as balmy, it did provide a few welcome minutes of respite from the freezing temperatures for thousands of drivers of cars, coaches, vans, and trucks, and motorcycle riders".

Tunnel Set for Reality TV Role

2008-12-12T14:54:00.003+01:00

TunnelBore has learnt of plans in preparation for a programme idea on the brink of being submitted to the BBC to fill the void in the Saturday evening entertainment schedule soon to be left when "Strictly Come Dancing" reaches its conclusion. It is believed the new pitch for "Strictly Go Tunneling" includes plans for top celebrities to compete against each other in races through the Blackwall Tunnel using various means of transport. The journey times of the speed stars would be timed and the slowest three competitors would face a run off and a public phone vote every week.

Our source has revealed exclusively that celebrities set to be approached for the competition include Richard Hammond, Christopher Biggins, George Michael, Cilla Black, Boy George, Germaine Greer, Stephen Gately, Heather Mills, Vanessa Feltz, Jeremy Paxman, Vernon Kay, Paul Ross, Ian Hislop, Alex James, Leonard Nimmoy and Tony Adams, and are confident that at least one would accept the offer. Programme organizers are also said to be keen to give Jonathan Ross an opportunity to present the show as a flagship production for his return to the BBC as a mainstream peak-time presenter and believing that 9-weeks of television exposure in the proximity of high speed races through a road tunnel without one allusion to Princess Diana could go a long way to repairing his bruised reputation.

A regular user of the Blackwall Tunnel told us "This sounds like a fantastic idea and a great way to show the delicate mix of beauty and functionality of the two bores of the Blackwall Tunnel to a nationwide television audience. I think failing London Mayor Boris Johnson should be invited to participate too, as he always seems happier profiting from easy media exposure rather than facing tough questions on issues crucial to Londoners".

Programme organizers admit that they do face serious logistical challenges in closing the Blackwall Tunnel both north and southbound for 3 hours every Saturday evening to satisfy the appetite for competition-based reality TV, but believe that the practice runs for the competitors could take place without too much disruption in the early hours of the morning. They also admit that they have not yet approached Transport for London or the BBC with their ideas.

Tunnel Link to Tory MP Grooming Sleaze Leak Probe

2008-12-01T13:36:00.002+01:00

Latest reports suggest that police investigations into alleged leaks from the Home Office which led to the arrest and extensive questioning of Tory MP for Ashford, Damian Green, are continuing. An article on the highly reputable BBC web site states that that police officers reportedly accused him of "grooming" a Home Office mole.

A regular user of the Blackwall Tunnel told us "As the representative of a Kent constituency, I would think that it is highly likely that Mr Green has made use of the Blackwall Tunnel to traverse the River Thames at some stage of his parliamentary career, although I have no evidence to support this claim. However, as a Tory MP, it is possible that he makes all his journeys by personal helicopter or private jet".

An animal loving resident of the leafy, opulent, outer London Borough of Bexley and occasional user of the Blackwall Tunnel told us "Despite their furry coats, I do not know how well moles respond to grooming. It is a shocking revelation that the Home Office appears to have a stock of these animals kept for this purpose explicitly. Instead of hoarding small mammals, they should focus on their responsibility for national security and order."

Moles are known for their burrowing lifestyle, and this intriguing behaviour proved to be the inspiration for engineers for several centuries, resulting in the crowning achievement of the original Blackwall Tunnel beneath the River Thames in 1897.

Tunnel Users Set for Recession Bonus

2008-11-28T18:18:00.003+01:00

Latest estimates show that the UK economy is set for massive negative growth over the next 12 months and some commentators are forecasting unemployment to spiral to 3 million. The plunge in the numbers of people travelling to work is set set to give rush hour relief to the remaining thousands of daily users of the Blackwall Tunnel with peak time queues forecast to shrink.

A resident of the London Borough of Greenwich and regular user of the Blackwall Tunnel told us "The Labour government is to be congratulated on the way in which it is leading the country into recession. With a reduction in traffic queues, the benefits for users of the tunnel will be huge. The government is on target to improve daily commuter journeys for everyone. Compare this to the non existent efforts of the failing mayoral reign of Boris Johnson which seems obsessed with increasing traffic congestion by removing the extension of the congestion charge zone in the well-to-do areas of Kensington and Chelsea, and savagely slashing much needed transport infrastructure projects in East London."

Piracy Fears Set To Boost Tunnel Traffic

2008-11-24T13:58:00.003+01:00

With 36 hijackings of shipping vessels reported off the Somali coast so far this year, one regular user of the Woolwich Ferry now fears for his safety on his daily journey across the Thames and is set to switch to using the Blackwall Tunnel for his daily commute.

He told us "Compared to to the measures taken at airports, I am not convinced that security controls on the Woolwich Ferry are strict enough. There are no police or weapons detection equipment visible. I fear that pirates or other criminal elements could seize control of one of the vessels quite easily. They could steer the ferry down river, drop anchor, and my worst fear is that we could find ourselves moored off Dagenham for days without food or water. Driving to the Blackwall Tunnel every day will increase my commute time, but I do feel it is the safer option. Even if there is an accident at the tunnel, I am almost guaranteed to complete my journey in less than 2 hours."

A regular user of the Blackwall Tunnel responded "In times when piracy is rife, this is another example of the high regard and trust that people are prepared to place in the Blackwall Tunnel. It is one of the finest jewels in the crown that is London's transport infrastructure, and has served millions of people for over 110 years".

Transport for London were not contacted for comment regarding security measures on the Woolwich Ferry.

Tunnel Approach Stars in Mayor's Transport Vision

2008-11-06T18:52:00.004+01:00

The southern approach of the Blackwall Tunnel plays a leading role in Way to Go!, a document published by blond London Mayor Boris Johnson on Wednesday 5th November, 2008, outlining what Mr Johnson considers as his "Transport Strategy". On page 21 of the document, there is an elegant photograph of free-flowing traffic on the A102, Blackwall Tunnel Southern Approach, looking northbound from the northern edge of the Woolwich Road flyover, with the towers of the Canary Wharf estate in the distance. In a bizarre twist, no mention of the Blackwall Tunnel or other road crossings of the River Thames is made in the "Way to Go" document, despite the announcement just 24 hours later that Tory cyclist and West London resident, Mr Johnson, had scrapped plans for the Thames Gateway Bridge which would have linked the deprived East London areas of Beckton and Thamesmead.

A regular user of the Blackwall Tunnel told is "I think this is part of a cynical strategy undertaken by Mayor Boris Johnson, sneaking out information like this on days when media is saturated with coverage of the US Presidential election. It is not just the Thames Gateway Bridge which is to be cut, but other major improvements too. On a positive note, Mr Johnson does appear to be committed to ensuring that the Blackwall Tunnel will continue to be the vital road link across the River Thames east of Tower Bridge, giving thousands the opportunity to experience it on a daily basis".

Another regular user of the Blackwall Tunnel and resident of the leafy, opulent outer London borough of Bexley told us "I voted for Mr Johnson. I so look forward to seeing how his Routemaster bus replacement for the 21st Century will transform transport in the capital. I am convinced it will be splendid".

Tunnel Causes Katona Meltdown Confusion

2008-10-24T12:07:00.002+01:00

A contemporary music fan and regular user of the Blackwall Tunnel was plunged into confusion on the morning of 23rd October 2008 when losing the radio signal on entering the northbound bore of the tunnel during his morning commute.

He told us "The radio cut out as I entered the tunnel just after the beginning of a news item concerning Kerry Katona's meltdown. Until I checked on the Internet later, I was unaware that this was related to a television appearance by Ms Katona the previous day. Initially, I thought that Ms Katona had been chosen to direct the annual Meltdown festival at London's Southbank Centre, following in the footsteps of musical luminaries such as Scott Walker, David Bowie, Morrissey, Patti Smith and Jarvis Cocker. "Kerry Katona's Meltdown" would have been an exciting and radical departure for the Southbank Centre, and a chance to explore the musical influences and tastes of the former Atomic Kitten. However, I expect the final choice of directors for the 2009 Meltdown festival to be much more conservative and in line with the previous choices."

Such confusion would not have been possible for users of the southbound bore of the Blackwall Tunnel, as radio signals are carried through the length of the tunnel.

Relief at Beam Success in Tunnel

2008-09-11T15:04:00.002+01:00

The thoughts of thousands of users of the Blackwall Tunnel over the past few days have been turned towards activities in a 27km-long circular tunnel deep under the French-Swiss border. Wednesday 10th September saw the first beams of protons successfully circle the ring of the Large Hadron Collider to the relief of hundreds of bearded, white-coated scientists and the admiration of thousands of normal people worldwide.

A former scientist and huge fan of Dr Heather Couper (one of the UK's top female astronomers) , and a regular user of the Blackwall Tunnel told us "The large hadron collider is just like the eastern bore of the Blackwall Tunnel when it used to take two-way traffic during the morning rush hour. Sub-atomic particles travelling at near to the speed of light will travel in one direction, just like vehicles travelling southbound through the tunnel, and there will be a second beam of sub-atomic particles travelling in the opposite direction, just like cars travelling northbound. At certain points in the tunnel, the two super-fast high energy beams of particles will smash head-on into each other recreating the conditions in the universe moments after the Big Bang." This type of cataclysmic Big Bang between vehicles is exactly what Transport for London wanted to avoid when they suspended operation of the morning peak tidal flow at the Blackwall Tunnel in Spring 2007.

Tunnel Traffic Set To Rocket

2008-09-09T15:00:00.002+01:00

Following the announcement by right-wing London Mayor Boris Johnson of massive raises in bus fares for 2009, Blackwall Tunnel users are braced for a huge surge in traffic congestion as thousands of commuters seem set to turn their backs on bus travel and return to their cars. Plans announced include a staggering increase of over 11% for Oyster pre-pay single bus fares from 90p to £1, and colossal 6.15% rise for weekly bus and tram passes from £13 to £13.80.

A regular user of the Blackwall Tunnel told us "It is obvious where Mr Johnson's priorities lie and who he intends to hurt most by these changes. The spiralling costs average Londoners face under Johnson's troubled administration look set to plunge millions into misery. I am sure that thousands of the victims of these harsh increases will turn their backs on travelling by bus and be ready to join the queues at the Blackwall Tunnel again every morning and evening. At these prices bus travel is becoming a luxury. I knew Mr Johnson wanted to increase the percentage of journeys made by foot and by bike, but I had no idea he planned to target bus users to achieve this".

Tunnel User Counts Cost of Diesel Spillage

2008-07-23T12:52:00.001+01:00

With world oil prices spiralling, a regular user of the Blackwall Tunnel was in a state of panic on Monday morning following a diesel spill at the petrol station at the Greenwich Peninsula branch of Sainsbury's, just yards from the Blackwall Tunnel southern approach. He explains "I had completed filling my car and on withdrawing the fuel pump nozzle from the circular aperture on my car leading to the fuel tank, several drops of diesel fuel emerged from the tip of the nozzle, some of which ran down the rear wing of my vehicle and some which fell directly onto the ground. I was lucky that there was some paper towels in an adjacent dispenser so that I could wipe the paintwork on my vehicle. I estimate that I may have spilt up to around 5 millilitres of fuel, which at an estimated price of 130.9p per litre, the cost of the loss will have been around 0.65p."

A driver with over 20 years experience of using petrol stations told us "This chance of this type of spillage occurring can be minimized by shaking and tapping the fuel pump nozzle at the entrance to the tank to extract the final drop before withdrawing it completely."

Although this fuel spillage was not as serious as the incident which closed the northbound tunnel for over 30 hours earlier this year, witnesses are urged to contact somebody.

Double Transport Blow for Mayor Johnson

2008-07-16T13:43:00.004+01:00

Just days after a mass failure on the Transport for London Oyster Card system hit thousands of London travellers, new statistics released on travel times through the Blackwall Tunnel are yet another blow for Boris Johnson's stumbling mayoralty.

The first TunnelBore statistics published since the third quarter of 2007 show that the average time taken to travel northbound through the Blackwall Tunnel during the morning peak rush hour in June 2008 had soared by more than 2 seconds compared to 12 months earlier.

A regular user of the Blackwall Tunnel from the radical left-wing hotbed of the London Borough of Greenwich told us "This is disastrous news for all drivers. The statistics showed previously how travel times through the tunnel were improved after the end of the morning peak tidal flow. Since Johnson came to power, journey times are rocketing, causing daily misery for thousands. This is further proof that Mr Johnson is not up to the job of being London Mayor and is not good for London".

The increases in journey times and Mr Johnson have not been condemned universally. A resident of the leafy, opulent, outer London Borough of Bexley told us "Mr Johnson should be given more time. He has already shown himself to be a visionary on transport policy through announcing the end of the deal with the Venezuelan government which provided cheap fuel for London's buses, the end of bendy buses on London streets, and launching a competition to design an new double decker bus for the 21st century. I have never travelled on or even seen a bendy bus, but they sound evil. Out here we are so lucky that we very rarely even see a bus."

Tunnel Congestion set for Biblical Solution?

2008-07-04T09:45:00.004+01:00

With Boris Johnson's tenure as London mayor rocked further by allegations of serious financial misconduct against one of his deputy mayors, Ray Lewis, thousands of users of the Blackwall Tunnel are curious after the startling revelation made during questioning when Mr Lewis said he was "not Jesus Christ".

A source unrelated to Transport for London told us "This is not a big surprise. Not many people though Mr Lewis was Jesus Christ. It does beg the question whether Mr Johnson is looking for Jesus Christ to join his administration. Drawing on the Messiah's expertise, the result could be an original solution to relieve rush hour congestion at the Blackwall Tunnel through enabling drivers to walk across the River Thames. However, this could cause parking issues both north and south of the river, so a better solution could be to find the old testament favourite Moses to enact a parting of the River Thames. Cars would then be able to drive across the river bed."

Residents of the gritty, deprived, low-lying London suburb of Thamesmead on the are said to be in a state of panic at the possibility of biblical intervention to ease London's traffic congestion fearing that the parting of the waters upstream could result in the River Thames bursting its banks and their homes being flooded.

A resident of the leafy, opulent, outer London borough of Bexley told us "This is fantastic news. When Mr Johnson said that he was going to find a solution to the tidal flow at the Blackwall Tunnel, I had no idea that he had such a radical solution in mind. His dazzling intellect and ability to think outside the box is why Bexley residents voted for him in their tens of thousands in May. I am sure that he will do much more for the rich of London and much less for the poor and underprivileged than Ken Livingstone would ever do."

Transport for London were not contacted for comment.

Tunnel Use Plunges After Child Labour Revelation

2008-06-25T10:46:00.001+01:00

Following the shocking revelation on this blog on Monday 23rd June that child labour may have been used in the construction of the western (northbound) bore of the Blackwall Tunnel, the number of journeys through the tunnel yesterday is reported to have plummeted.

Tunnel observers are keeping a close eye on tunnel traffic today to determine whether this is a sustained mass boycott by thousands of tunnel users in protest at the use of child labour, or linked to the fact that the northbound tunnel was closed for one hour during the morning rush hour on Tuesday 24th June, forcing hundreds of drivers to seek alternative routes to cross the River Thames.

Tunnel in Child Labour Shock

2008-06-23T16:12:00.002+01:00

With the top BBC One show Panorama set to blow the lid on the scandal that child labour could have been used in the production of cheap clothes for a leading UK retailer, thousands of users of the Blackwall Tunnel have been rocked by the news that child labour could have been used in the construction of one of the best loved pieces of London's transport infrastructure jigsaw, the western bore of the Blackwall Tunnel.

A resident of the left wing liberal hot spot London Borough of Greenwich told us "When the Blackwall Tunnel was dug at the end of the 19th century, laws against the use of child labour in the UK were not as strong as they are today. Although it is some time after the worst excesses of the industrial revolution when children were forced up chimneys or made to lick matches, it is probable that some of the workers employed on the Blackwall Tunnel would have been younger than would be possible with the current legislation, and health and safety matters may have left a lot to be desired. I urge drivers to think of the hardship our comrades endured over one hundred years ago to bring us the glorious structure that is the Blackwall Tunnel."

The opinion that child labour does not make a positive contribution to society is not held universally. A regular user of the Blackwall Tunnel from the leafy, opulent outer London Borough of Bexley told us "Child labour provided the backbone on which the greatness of this country was built. Using child labour again would keep guns, knives, and drugs off our streets, and could be used to help keep the cost of the Olympics down by putting 11 year olds to work on the Olympic site for threepence an hour. They should be grateful for that, and would help to keep these children out of state schools, meaning that teachers could be made redundant, saving even more money. Let us hope with Boris Johnson in charge, sensible policies like this will come to the fore".

Sugar in Tunnel Jibe Scandal

2008-05-28T13:07:00.002+01:00

Thousands of users of the Blackwall Tunnel are still reeling today after a shocking reference to the Blackwall Tunnel made in front of a stunned audience of millions on national television by one of Britain's leading entrepreneurs, Sir Alan Sugar. In the nail-biting boardroom scene at the end of the top BBC One show "The Apprentice" on Tuesday 27th May, Sugar said that one of the competitors, 28 year old equine science graduate Claire Young, had a "mouth the size of the Blackwall Tunnel".

A close friend of a regular user of the Blackwall Tunnel told us "While Claire has proved herself to be a bit gobby at times, comparing her mouth to the Blackwall Tunnel belittles the functionality, beauty, and structural integrity of one of London's most loved transport landmarks. Knowing that Sir Alan was born in Hackney, just a few miles from the Blackwall Tunnel, and he must surely have passed through the tunnel on more than one occasion, makes the jibe even more surprising".

A family member of a friend of a regular user of the Blackwall Tunnel told us "Knowing Sir Alan's origins, I think Sir Alan was paying Claire a huge compliment in comparing her mouth to something as glorious and significant as the Blackwall Tunnel. She must surely now be the hot favourite to win the show. None of the other competitors have had the honour of being compared to vital elements of London's transport infrastructure".

Fingers Crossed at Tunnel for City Airport Boost

2008-05-08T11:51:00.004+01:00

Thousands of users of the Blackwall Tunnel from the south east have their fingers crossed that an application from London City Airport to raise the limit of the number of flight movements per year from the current 80,000 to 120,000 will be successful. Several Kent residents are said to be eager for the increase, which would boost the number of flights and destinations available from the airport.

The joy at the proposal is not universal. Some groups, such as London City Airport - Fight The Flights oppose the change and have amassed (as of 8th May 2008) a massive 341 signatures to their on-line petition against the expansion out of the several thousand people they claim will be impacted by the change.

A frequent flyer and regular user of the Blackwall Tunnel from the leafy, opulent outer London Borough of Bexley told us "The Fight the Flights website is not aesthetically pleasing. There is a mixture of text colours, some of which are barely readable against the black background, an uncomfortable melange of normal, bold, and italic text, and low quality graphics. The contents are a mixture of truths, half-truths, scaremongering and some information which is just plain incorrect, such as the Fight the Flights claim that British Airways plan to introduce a "Boeing service" from City Airport to New York, when all aviation anoraks know that the aircraft involved would be an Airbus A318".

A close friend of a regular user of the Blackwall Tunnel told us "Travelling to London City Airport through the Blackwall Tunnel is a stimulating treat, combining the 19th century stunning engineering achievement of the Blackwall Tunnel with the 20th century stunning engineering experience of flight. To think we can experience both within a few minutes of each other in the 21st Century in East London is magnificent."

Fury at Johnson Tunnel Plans

2008-04-23T12:12:00.003+01:00

With the London Mayoral election just over a week away, drivers who head southbound in the vicinity of the Blackwall Tunnel during the morning rush hour have expressed their rage against plans in the transport manifesto by the Tory candidate, blond cyclist Boris Johnson, to reinstate the the northbound morning peak time tidal flow through the Blackwall Tunnel.

A representative of the irate drivers told us "Since the morning peak tidal flow was removed, my journeys down the A12 and A102 have been a joy almost every morning. I think that this is another example of blatant opportunist populism by Johnson, hoping to grab a few votes from residents of the opulent, leafy, outer London Borough of Bexley heading north in the morning on their way to their well paid jobs in Canary Wharf and the City, instead of looking at the bigger picture of the benefits for London as a whole. For me, Ken Livingstone offers the best opportunity for a sustainable and collective development for London."

A close friend of a regular user of the Blackwall Tunnel told us "Since the tidal flow was ended, all drivers heading northbound have the opportunity to use the fine, Victorian, western bore every day. The tunnel is one of the jewels in London's transport infrastructure crown. It appears that Mr Johnson has no sensitivity at all towards this and I wonder if this man could be trusted with any of London's living heritage".

The morning peak tidal flow, in which the eastern bore of the Blackwall Tunnel hosted single lanes for north and southbound traffic during the morning rush hour before reverting to two lanes for southbound traffic only for the majority of the day, was ceased by Transport for London on safety grounds in April 2007. The end of the peak time tidal flow resulted in a vicious war between rival petitions pleading for the system to be reinstated or ended permanently.

Tunnel at Heart of Free Tibet Storm

2008-04-09T12:28:00.002+01:00

Despite being ignored by the Olympic torch relay organizers, the Blackwall Tunnel has found itself at the heart of fresh protests against the alleged actions of the Chinese government in Tibet. Earlier this week, a single banner reading "Free Tibet Now" was hanging from the northern side of the pedestrian bridge linking Tunnel Avenue with the Greenwich Peninsula shops and car park, visible to thousands of motorists heading south on the A102, Blackwall Tunnel Southern Approach.

A close friend of a regular user of the Blackwall Tunnel told us "South East London has a great tradition of political protest and I am delighted to see that modern causes are still taken seriously by residents today".

Unconfirmed reports suggest that the political protest banner has now been removed, while a banner for the"Sainsbury's Active Kids" promotion is still attached to the fence along the northbound exit slip road at the junction with Woolwich Road.

Olympic Relay Snub for Tunnel

2008-04-07T15:17:00.000+01:00

Thousands of users of the Blackwall Tunnel are still reeling in a state of shock following the decision by organizers of the Olympic torch relay held in London on Sunday, 6th June not to include the Blackwall Tunnel on the relay route. In a highly controversial move, the torch was carried on a boat on the River Thames from Canary Wharf to the O2 dome at North Greenwich instead of via the Blackwall Tunnel. Thousands braved the bitingly cold Sunday afternoon winds to line the river banks of the Isle of Dogs and Greenwich only to face the double whammy of seeing nothing except a few boats travelling downstream in the middle of the Thames and having their feelings of disappointment at the great non-spectacle drowned out by helicopters overhead. Some voices of protest were heard at the choice of the river route instead of the more obvious and direct road route via the Blackwall Tunnel.

A regular user of the Blackwall Tunnel told us "This comes as a massive blow for tunnel users. The Blackwall Tunnel is set to play a vital role in the London Olympics in 2012 to transport competitors, officials and spectators between Olympic sites, yet the relay organizers for the Beijing torch chose to ignore it yesterday. They should be ashamed at their treatment of one of the finest pieces of London's transport infrastructure. Also, I think those responsible missed a trick as it would have been a wonderful sight to see a runner emerging with the torch held aloft emerging from the tunnel. Securing the tunnel would have been easy, so there would have been no need to surround the runner with security guards and police as was necessary along the rest of the route."
The organizers of the Olympic torch relay were not contacted for comment.

The Olympic torch moves on to Paris today and is expected to be the centre of more protests primarily linked to the status of Tibet and not to do with the wilful exclusion of the Blackwall Tunnel from the London itinerary.

April Fool Fuel Spill Misery

2008-04-02T15:43:00.000+01:00

Rush hour chaos returned to the Blackwall Tunnel in the morning of 1st April 2008 when a fuel spill forced the closure of the northbound Blackwall Tunnel Northern Approach between the A13 junction and Old Ford for several hours. The northbound bore of the tunnel was closed intermittently throughout the morning peak period to ease traffic queuing traffic inside the confined space, causing near gridlock on the southern approach, northbound, and surrounding roads.

A regular user of the Blackwall Tunnel told us "This is the second time in six weeks that a fuel spill has caused major problems at the Blackwall Tunnel. Although this incident was not as serious as the incident on the 26th February, I am amazed that drivers do not take more care with their fuel bearing in mind how expensive it is these days. However, I do envy those drivers forced to queue for extended periods in the tunnel for the time they could spend admiring the beautifully engineered structure."

Delia Inspiration for Tunnel Users

2008-03-28T14:18:00.005+01:00

After an absence of 5 years from UK television screens, spring 2008 has seen the return of top television cook Delia Smith to the BBC schedules. Unlike some of her previous series, this time culinary legend Delia focuses on convenience, promoting the use of products such as tinned mince, frozen mashed potato, frozen aubergines, and pre-cooked tomato sauces to produce a dazzling array of family meals.

This no nonsense approach has motivated millions to investigate the freezer cabinets of their local supermarkets and is set to inspire hundreds of users of the Blackwall Tunnel towards new culinary adventures.

A regular user of the Blackwall Tunnel told us "Seeing Delia on television and her enthusiasm for frozen products has prompted me to return to the kitchen for the first time in many years. I had forgotten just how easy it was to prepare my signature dish and one of my favourite desserts, Sorbet au citron. In true Delia style, he continued to explain in detail the preparation of this dish - "All you need to prepare this is one tub of lemon sorbet from a well known supermarket, which you will need to remove from the freezer, and an ice-cream scoop. If the sorbet is very hard you might need to leave it standing at room temperature for a few minutes to allow it to thaw just a bit. Once it is soft enough, dig hard into the tub with your scoop, then pull the scoop towards you and twist your wrist slightly away from your so that you can lift out a lovely, pale fluffy ball of sorbet from the tub. Repeat this two or three times for each serving, arranging the scoops of sorbet in dessert dishes or small plates. If you do not have an ice-cream scoop, do not worry as a plain dessert spoon will do almost as well. One special, personal touch I love to add to this dish is a couple of freshly picked and washed leaves of mint which you can place either on top or just to the side. Delicious."

Local MP in Blackwall Tunnel Snub Shock

2008-03-03T10:59:00.001+01:00

According to a report in The Times, local Labour MP John Austin (Erith and Thamesmead) claimed a massive £22,110 last year to fund an to fund "overnight" home in central London. The location of Mr Austin's flat is reported to be in Rotherhithe, in a radical challenge to commonly received interpretations of the area covered by the term "Central London".

A Greenwich resident and regular user of the Blackwall Tunnel told us "I can understand completely why Mr Austin wants to spend as little time as possible in Thamesmead or Erith, but choosing to purchase a flat in Rotherhithe, the location of a rival tunnel under the River Thames, is a massive blow to residents of Greenwich and all users of the Blackwall Tunnel. Local MPs should support their local infrastructure, and Mr Austin's apparent preference for the Rotherhithe Tunnel is a shocking snub for the Blackwall Tunnel."

Many users of the Blackwall Tunnel consider the Rotherhithe Tunnel to be vastly inferior in many ways. In a 2003 report, the Rotherhithe Tunnel only claimed tenth place in a ranking of Europe's most dangerous tunnels, compared to fourth and ninth places for the north and southbound bores of the Blackwall Tunnel, respectively.

Joy as Northbound Tunnel Re-Opens

2008-02-27T09:58:00.003+01:00

Scenes of celebration swept across South East London this morning on the news that the northbound bore of the Blackwall Tunnel re-opened before 6.30am after massive renovation and repair work which caused the tunnel to be closed for over 30 hours. Thousands of commuters have rushed to the tunnel to witness the results of the work which was completed well in advance of some of the estimated durations reported yesterday.

A regular user of the Blackwall Tunnel told us "This is fantastic news. I would like to thank personally TfL and all the master craftsmen and road workers who have put in a huge effort to have the western bore restored to its previous pristine condition in record time. We may have to wait a few years before the restoration of the Cutty Sark is complete, but to have the Victorian splendour of the Blackwall Tunnel back as a working part of Greenwich's heritage so soon is wonderful. Travelling around south east London is not the same when the tunnel is closed."

Tunnel Spillage Causes Traffic Chaos

2008-02-26T10:36:00.005+01:00

The northbound bore of the Blackwall Tunnel remains closed this morning, having been closed just after midnight on Tuesday 26th February following a reported diesel spillage inside the tunnel. Tunnel users and other south east London commuters awoke this morning to glorious sunshine and traffic hell with many roads throughout the area in near gridlock.

The A2 is reported as jammed back to Bexley, and local roads in Bexleyheath, Welling, Eltham, Plumstead, Woolwich, Charlton, Blackheath, Deptford, Lewisham, and Greenwich all hit by the tunnel closure.

Road users are set to be faced with hours of frustration and misery, with one of the most vital and most loved components of London's road transport infrastructure out of action. This is thought to be the most significant unavailability of the Blackwall Tunnel since an asbestos spill on 9th May, 2007 caused the northbound bore to be closed for 20 hours.

At 9:30 this morning, the northbound Blackwall Tunnel still remains closed.

Update at 10:15: Sensational report on the 10am news on BBC London suggests that the northbound bore could be closed for several days.

Update at 11:40: Latest radio reports suggest that the northbound bore will remain closed until midday on 27th February. In a first reaction to the news, a regular user of the Blackwall Tunnel told us that he was "gutted" at the news of the damage to the tunnel but hoped that "the re-surfacing work would restore the Blackwall Tunnel to its former glory as soon as possible".

Blackwall Tunnel Set for Traffic Boost

2008-02-25T13:48:00.001+01:00

Documents published by Greenwich Council show the population of the borough set to spiral by 60,000 in the next 20 years. The figures are included in the council's Core Strategy Consultation. Just one trip per day through the Blackwall Tunnel by each of the new residents would boost the annual total of journeys through the tunnel by over 20 million.

The population increase has not been welcomed warmly in all quarters. A resident of the leafy, opulent, neighbouring borough of Bexley told us "This is shocking news. I can foresee the day when queues from the tunnel mouth back to the Black Prince interchange are a regular occurrence. Our journeys will be made hell. Some of the residents might be on low incomes and have poorly maintained cars which are more likely to break down in the [Blackwall] Tunnel or on the tunnel approaches casing traffic chaos."

On a more positive note, one regular user of the Blackwall Tunnel told us "Any plans to increase the number of people able to enjoy the Blackwall Tunnel have to be welcomed. It is definitely one of the gems in Greenwich's heritage crown. However, I am disappointed to see that there is no mention at all of the tunnel in the council's consultation document. It plays a vital role in the borough's transport infrastructure enjoyed daily by thousands of borough residents and should be at the heart of the council's plans."

Tunnel Haven for Drugs Cheats

2008-02-14T14:13:00.001+01:00

In parallel with the Mills - McCartney divorce settlement case, many UK papers today are running with the story that UK Athletics found itself without a leg to stand on when it came to preventing Dwain Chambers from representing the UK at the athletics World Indoor Championships to be held in Valencia next month. Chambers was banned from athletics for two years in 2003 after testing positive for the performance-enhancing drug THG and has now been selected to represent his country after an emphatic victory in the 60m sprint in trials at the weekend.

In a shocking development, exclusive research can reveal that there are no restrictions in place on drug cheats, reformed or otherwise, using the Blackwall Tunnel.

A regular user of the Blackwall Tunnel told us "I think this is something the London Mayor needs to look at as soon as possible. I am convinced that abnormally high levels of testosterone are partly responsible for the agressive driving observed on the tunnel approaches everyday. Reducing the testosterone levels could lead to more respectful and tolerant driving, and increase the chances of everybody to reach their destination safely, although this might be coupled with a decreased sense of direction and ability to read maps."

Pollution Levels at Tunnel Set to Plummet

2008-02-04T12:14:00.000+01:00

For the first time in its 110 year history, the Blackwall Tunnel now finds itself in a Low Emission Zone. With confusion reigning across the capital, TunnelBore (TB) sought to find some answers to key questions with the help of somebody with a bit of knowledge (SWABOK) (and an occasional user of the Blackwall Tunnel) in the absence of an expert on the subject.

TB - What is the low emission zone?
SWABOK - The Low Emission Zone (LEZ) covers most of Greater London and operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week, including public holidays and aims to deter the most polluting vehicles from driving in the area. After 4th February 2008, lorries, buses, coaches, vans and minibuses which do not meet the emission standards will face a daily charge of £200 or £100 to travel into or within the LEZ. The emssion standards and the number of vehicles potentially impacted will evolve over time as the emissions targets become more stringent.

TB - Is this not another money raising ruse by Transport for London?
SWABOK - No. Financial carrots have failed, so this is TfL and the Mayor for London yielding a financial stick. I am sure that all TfL want is for everyone to comply with the limits and to collect no income from the scheme, safe in the knowledge that all of London will be breathing cleaner air.

TB - Will this mean less pollution at the Blackwall Tunnel?
SWABOK - Hopefully, yes. If not, TfL might find itself so rich after collecting millions in the daily charges that gold-plating the Blackwall Tunnel might become a realistic possibility.

TB - I had a curry last night. Might I be in danger of exceeding the emissions limits?
SWABOK - Possibly. If you had a mild chicken korma then you will probably be OK. However, if you had a madras or vindaloo, or any dish with a high pulse and vegetable content and several pints of lager then it would be advisable to test yourself before entering the LEZ. Home emission testing kits are available and consist of a balloon, a short length of flexible plastic tubing, three sachets of water-based lubricant, a small box of matches, and a canary.

TB - Is this not dangerous to the canary?
SWABOK - In most circumstances, no. The canaries have been specifically genetically reared to thrive in an atmosphere of pure guff. However, I would advise anybody to contact the RSPCA before using the testing kit after a high intake of chickpea based food.

TB - Where can I go to find out more?
SWABOK - Try the Transport for London website for a wealth of knowledge on the LEZ, or type the keywords "reduce" and "flatulence" into Google or an alternative search engine.

Tunnel Users Hit by Chicken Crisis

2008-01-29T13:56:00.000+01:00

Following two weeks of campaigning led by top celebrity chefs on Channel 4 against the conditions in intensive chicken farms, a shortage of top range chickens is sweeping the country. Super chefs Jamie Oliver and Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall fronted hours of programmes which delved deep into poultry production and by-products.

Several users of the Blackwall Tunnel from the opulent, leafy outer London borough of Bexley have found themselves victims of the shortage. One told us "The situation has reached crisis levels. In my local Sainsbury's supermarket this weekend there were no "Taste the Difference" free range or "So" organic chickens to be found - no breasts, no legs and no whole birds. When the top chefs declared that it was immoral for shops to be selling two chickens for £5, I thought the supermarkets would simply raise prices. Instead, the proletariat seems to have decided to try the high end products. We have been a regular consumers of premium poultry for years, and now my family is facing starvation as we can no longer find these on supermarket shelves." When TunnelBore suggested to the Bexley resident that it may still be possible to feed his family on chicken drumsticks for around £1.50 per kilo, he turned a startling shade of green and had to be led away to lie down in a darkened room before it was possible to suggest that he checked in either Lidl or Morrisons as alternative stockists of the finest fowl.

At the Blackwall Tunnel this morning, there were reports of some drivers queueing after having been deprived of their daily boiled free range egg for breakfast.

Shock Tunnel Link to Top Failing Schools

2008-01-18T13:54:00.000+01:00

Following the publication of the latest league tables for 2007 GSCE results, it can be revealed that the the Blackwall Tunnel provides a vital road link between the top two low performing London Boroughs - Greenwich and Tower Hamlets. In 2007, 34% of Greenwich students achieved at least five GCSEs at grades A*-C - including English and maths GCSEs, while the same level of achievement was attained by 36.5% of studens in Tower Hamlets.

A regular user of the Blackwall Tunnel told us "I am not sure that there is a direct link between the Blackwall Tunnel and poor school performance. The borough of Knowsley, which I think is somewhere up north, only achieved 26.5% success, and surely the Blackwall Tunnel cannot be blamed for that, although a link to the Mersey Tunnel cannot be ruled out".

Nobody from the borough of Knowsley was contacted for comment as investigations have failed to confirm whether the borough has Internet access.

The Blackwall Tunnel - A Beacon of Stability in Times of Change

2008-01-10T13:18:00.000+01:00

Residents of the London Borough of Greenwich are on the brink of being plunged into an abyss of confusion with new domestic waste collection arrangements set to start in the week commencing 21st January. All residents have received leaflets from the local council informing them that their green-topped wheelie bins are to be used for food and garden waste, the blue-topped wheelie bins for dry recyclable waste, with black bags to be used for all other rubbish. The wheelie bins will be emptied on a weekly basis, while there will be a fortnightly, identified in council literature as "Yellow Weeks", collection of the black sacks. Many lucky Greenwich householders have also already received a green "kitchen caddy", a lidded receptacle with a six litre capacity for the short term storage of food waste.

A Greenwich resident and regular user of the Blackwall Tunnel told us "We are trying to get to grips with the proposed changes and reading the substantial amount of information distributed by the council. At times of turmoil like this we are grateful for the Blackwall Tunnel and its serene air of permanence and continuity in times of change, somewhat like the Queen".

A close friend of a regular user of the Blackwall Tunnel and resident of the leafy, opulent outer London Borough of Bexley told us "The new domestic waste arrangements in Greenwich sound like political correctness gone mad. What a relief that we have a much more measured approach to reducing landfill where I live."

Many residents of the London Borough of Greenwich are regular users of the Blackwall tunnel and are a preparing bravely to endure a turbulent period when faced with the new domestic waste collection schemes.

Tunnel Link to Fitness DVD Joy

2008-01-07T13:24:00.001+01:00

After the excesses of Christmas, January is a month when many people with lardy leanings declare their intentions to lose weight and increase their fitness levels. One of the challenges faced by the nation's blubbery millions is to find a diet or fitness regime which can slot into their lifestyle and be sustained for several months. There are hundreds of books and DVDs available, many of which have been developed by well known top celebrities eager to help the the general population shed pounds, sometimes as much as £17.99.

Many New Year resolutions are doomed to failure as thousands, from the slightly overweight to the morbidly obese, struggle to find diet or fitness solutions which work for them. However, sometimes there are heart-warming success stories. A close friend of a regular user of the Blackwall Tunnel told us "I bought Natalie Cassidy's Then And Now Workout DVD, removed the plastic wrapping, put the DVD in my player, pressed the play button, and it worked. I do not know if I would have been as successful with Nell McAndrew's or Davina McCall's fitness DVDs. I am delighted".

Natalie Cassidy won her place in the hearts of the nation while playing part-time lesbian nurse Sonia in the BBC soap EastEnders between 1993 and 2007. She has yet to appear in other top BBC dramas such as Casualty and Holby City.

Snow Set to Cause Tunnel Chaos

2008-01-03T16:02:00.000+01:00

With 2008 less than 72 hours old, the Blackwall Tunnel is set to be plunged into traffic chaos for the evening rush hour with some flakes of snow forecast for the London area. Clouds above the tunnel are currently reported to be "heavy and grey", with some drops of light rain, possibly sleet, falling.

A regular user of the Blackwall Tunnel told us "I do not think that this is anything to worry about. Regular users of the Blackwall Tunnel are braced and well prepared for this type of light precipitation, and much worse. We are fortunate to be sheltered from the worst of the weather once inside the tunnel".

Temperatures on Friday are set to reach an unseasonal scorching 7C.

Data Security Boost for Tunnel Users

2007-12-18T10:35:00.000+01:00

Urgent measures put in place by UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown to increase the security of data held by the UK government are already starting to show results. In November, it was announced that 25 million child benefit records had been lost in transit between two government offices. On Monday 17th December, it was revealed that a hard drive containing personal information on three million driving theory test candidates had been lost in the state of Iowa in the United States of America. Taking these two incidents on a month by month basis shows a massive improvement of over 800% in the success of the government in retaining the personal information of UK citizens.

A regular user of the Blackwall Tunnel told us "These are impressive results after one month and the government should be congratulated."

The Blackwall Tunnel is used daily by learner drivers and persons who have already passed their driving test, and also by families in receipt of child benefit.

Backstreet Boost for Blackwall Tunnel

2007-12-14T17:22:00.001+01:00

Thanks to the continuing success of the O2 arena on the Greenwich Peninsula, the venue formerly known as the Millennium Dome, regular users of the Blackwall Tunnel can look forwards to sharing a key part of London's transport infrastructure with fans of legendary American boy band, the Backstreet Boys in May 2008.

A music loving close friend of a regular user of the Blackwall Tunnel told us "This is incredible. Yet more music legends set to appear at the O2, hot on the heels of the legendary Take That and the legendary Led Zeppelin, with the legendary Spice Girls and the legendary Boyzone still to come."

Rumours that the Backstreet Boys will be re-releasing their 1999 album "Millennium" under the new title of "O2" are thought to be untrue.

Data Loss Scandal Hits Tunnel Blog

2007-11-30T14:28:00.000+01:00

Regular readers of the TunnelBore blog have been shocked to find that no transit times and temperature statistics for the Blackwall Tunnel have been published since the August figures which were disclosed in September. Accusations of a massive cover up have followed, with the blog contributor remaining curiously quiet on the issue.

A spokesman for the TunnelBore blog told us "The management of the vast amounts of the vast amounts of data related to the usage of the Blackwall Tunnel is extremely complex . Although the data would fit easily onto just a single CD and posted to all interested parties, I can assure readers that the Blackwall Tunnel data has been treated much more professionally than that. Rumours that the data has been seized in dawn raids by police are also untrue. All possible steps are being taken to ensure that the usage statistics will be published again in December. We are carrying out a deep internal review of our data protection procedures so that this could never happen again, and first indications suggest that a junior user did not follow the correct procedures".

A close friend of a regular user of the Blackwall Tunnel told us "I do hope these problems can be ironed out and I am looking forwards to seeing the latest tunnel timings to see if improvements earlier in the year have been sustained."

Johnson Fails to Clarify Position on Blackwall Tunnel

2007-11-28T16:22:00.000+01:00

Blond haired Tory London mayoral candidate made one of his first steps in his 2008 campaign spending one hour facing questions from blond haired radio presenter Vanessa Feltz, 45, and her listeners on BBC London radio on Tuesday 27th November. Despite facing several questions on a number of issues, Mr Johnson, 43, failed to clarify his vision for the future of the Blackwall Tunnel.

A regular user of the Blackwall Tunnel told us "The Blackwall Tunnel is a fantastic heritage site and key part of London's transport infrastructure. Congestion at the tunnel was mentioned during traffic bulletins during the show, but Mr Johnson decided to avoid the issue completely. Mr Johnson's failure to mention it brings into question his whole commitment to the future of London."

Users of the Blackwall Tunnel and members of the general public can listen to the show on the BBC web site until Monday 3rd December to hear Ms Feltz and Mr Johnson speak in Latin and Mr Johnson's visionary plans to promote non stick chewing gum for London's streets in the challenging time Mr Johnson faced in hard-hitting Ms Feltz's hot seat. In a bizarre twist, old Etonian Mr Johnson also denied that he could be described as "posh".

McClaren Failure Hits Tunnel Traffic

2007-11-23T12:13:00.001+01:00

The failure of Steve McClaren to take his England football team to the 2008 European Championships in Austria and Switzerland is set to have a massive knock on effect on traffic flow through the Blackwall Tunnel. Hundreds of cars and coaches loaded with England soccer fans heading for the continent had been expected to use the tunnel on their way to the channel ports and London area airports during June 2008. The disastrous England performance on Wednesday night means that the estimates of traffic flow through the tunnel next summer have been slashed.

A regular user of the Blackwall Tunnel told us "This is fantastic news for regular commuters and should lead to easier journeys for everybody".

Frustation for Euro Visitors to Tunnel

2007-11-21T18:49:00.000+01:00

One week on from the opening of the new Eurostar London terminal at St Pancras, European travellers wishing to visit one of London's prime Victorian heritage sites, the Blackwall Tunnel, are faced with increased inconvenience. Previously, the London terminus for trains from top European cities Paris and Brussels was at Waterloo station, from where tunnel visitors could take a London Underground Jubilee line train directly to North Greenwich, only a fifteen minute walk from the southern entrance to the tunnel. Eurostar trains now terminate at London St Pancras, and intrepid tunnel visitors are faced with a journey on the London Underground Northern Line to London Bridge, before changing trains to join the Jubilee Line to North Greenwich. Travel experts believe this might add up to 15 minutes to their journey times to the Blackwall Tunnel.

A regular user of the Blackwall Tunnel told us "This is a tragedy for international visitors to the Blackwall Tunnel and a devastating blow to the tunnel which might see its number of tourists dwindle. However, there is possibly some light at the end of the tunnel. I plan to collaborate closely with the international Association Internationale pour l'Appreciation du Tunnel de Blackwall (AIDATUB) who have launched a campaign for Eurostar services to call a Stratford International station as soon as possible. From there, visitors to the Blackwall Tunnel would be only a short walk from being able to catch a 108 bus which would take them directly to and then through the Blackwall Tunnel. Their first journey would be via the 1960s eastern bore travelling southbound. They could then stop off for a coffee and a muffin in the Starbucks located in the Sainsbury's supermarket on the Greenwich Peninsula, before taking the bus in the northbound direction, through the beautiful Victorian western bore and returning to Stratford. This could be destined to be one of Europe's top day trips. Imagine, croissants in Paris for breakfast, a Starbucks grande Mocha Frappuccino Blended Coffee (380 kcal) for elevenses, back in Paris in time for a baguette for lunch, having been able to take in one of London's top heritage sites from the comfort of a single decker London bus. "

Tunnel Chaos Greets Paddick Bid for Mayor

2007-11-13T10:09:00.000+01:00

On the morning that Brian Paddick was announced as the Liberal Democrat candidate for 2008 London mayoral elections, commuters from South East London and Kent faced traffic chaos at the Blackwall Tunnel. The western (northbound) bore of the Blackwall Tunnel was closed for an extended period following the breakdown of a truck and fuel spillage during the morning peak rush hour. At 9am (Tuesday 13th November), the tunnel was still closed and London bound queues on the A2 stretching back to the Black Prince interchange, causing morning misery for thousands of drivers.

In an extensive interview on BBC London, Mr Paddick, previously the highest ranking, openly Liberal Democrat, gay officer in the Metropolitan Police, was not questioned about the congestion at the Blackwall Tunnel and did not reveal his plans for this crucial component of London's transport infrastructure.

TfL Commitment to Tunnel Questioned

2007-11-12T11:46:00.000+01:00

Today sees the launch of the London Overground rail services on routes including the North London Line and West London Line, previously operated by Silverlink. Passengers will be able to use Oyster card "pay-as-you-go" facilities on these lines immediately, and are expected to see improvements in trains, facilities, service levels and extensions in the route network over the next few years in developments costing millions of pounds.

A close friend of a regular user of Blackwall Tunnel told us "With all this focus on the branding and launch of the Overground Network, this raises the question in my mind of Transport for London's long term commitment to subterranean transport routes, including the Blackwall Tunnel. ... In particular, I hope the [Blackwall] Tunnel will attract the investment it deserves to enable it to continue to be a magnet for commuters and tourists alike long into the future, both as a heritage site and as a crucial part of London's transport infrastructure."

Transport for London were not contacted for comment.

Olympic Boost for Tunnel

2007-11-09T14:56:00.000+01:00

With the 2012 Olympic Games in London now less than 5 years away, the designs for the main Olympic Stadium were unveiled to a hushed response from a shocked audience, astonished to see that the stadium design did, in fact, resemble a stadium.

Several other much loved London landmarks, including the Blackwall Tunnel, are also thought to have failed to impress their initial audience before becoming longstanding triumphs.
A close friend of the great, great grandfather of a regular user of the Blackwall Tunnel once remarked "This tunnel under the Thames River does resemble but nothing other than a hole in the ground, sir", unaware that the Blackwall Tunnel would later become one of London's major monuments of Victorian engineering and serve millions of visitors every year using many modes of motor transport.

A regular user of the Blackwall Tunnel told us "I can see strong parallels between the Stratford Olympic Stadium and the Blackwall Tunnel. Both are understated and astonishingly simple in appearance, belying any hint of complexity. Let us hope that the Olympic Stadium can match the Blackwall Tunnel in being incredibly effective in fulfilling its role and win its place in the heart of millions."

The Olympic Park in Stratford is less than 5 miles from the Blackwall Tunnel. Thousands of Olympic spectators and competitors are expected to use the Blackwall Tunnel in 2012.

Shock Cancer Link to Tunnel

2007-11-05T12:21:00.000+01:00

A report published last week by the World Cancer Research Fund linked an increased risk of cancer to the intake of several common foodstuffs such as red meat, sugary drinks, and processed meats such as bacon, ham, and sausages.

Hundreds of tons of these potentially carcinogenic products are believed to be carried through the Blackwall Tunnel every month. A regular user of the Blackwall Tunnel told us "I am not overly concerned by this. In fact I think that this represents a relatively low risk for the Blackwall Tunnel compared to other routes, as the Dartford Tunnel and a high percentage of the national motorway network must carry higher tonnage of these products."

A resident of the leafy, opulent outer London Borough of Bexley is believed to be preparing a petition calling for the prevention sausages (especially budget ranges) being brought into the borough. Practical implementation of this proposal is though to face many challenges and pockets of local opposition due to the presence of several popular outlets selling sausages in the borough, including Morrisons, Asda and Lidl.

Surge in Tunnel Use by Migrant Workers

2007-10-30T17:24:00.000+01:00

New statistics released by the UK government show that the number of migrant workers who have come to the UK since 1997 stands 300,000 more at 1.1 million compared to the previous estimate of 800,000. Many of these workers have used the Blackwall Tunnel either occasionally or as part of their regular daily commute when contributing to the vibrant UK economy. The western bore of the Blackwall Tunnel is thought to have started being used by migrant workers soon after its opening in 1897.

A regular user of the Blackwall Tunnel told us "The Blackwall Tunnel is a symbol of unity, accepts openly drivers from all nations and is there at the service of all. We should be proud of the role it plays at the heart of the nation's infrastructure and it is a privilege to be able to use it on a daily basis."

Some Daily Mail reading, petition hungry residents of the opulent leafy outer London Borough of Bexley are thought to be fuming at the new government figures, having been plunged into confusion over whether the increased congestion they perceive at the Blackwall Tunnel is due to the ending of the peak time contraflow or to its increased use by the influx of migrant workers.

Business as Usual for Blackwall Tunnel

2007-10-22T15:01:00.000+01:00

With the nation still reeling from the quadruple whammy of national sporting disasters, traffic was reported as "normal" at the Blackwall Tunnel this morning.

The nation's five days of sporting failure-induced trauma commenced on Wednesday 17th October, when the England football team were crushed by Russia and now seemed destined to fail to qualify for the 2008 European Championships. This was followed on Saturday when the England rugby team capitulated in an embarrassing fashion to a brutally strong and efficient South African side in the World Cup final. The next blow came on Sunday when Lewis Hamilton succeeded in finding a reverse gear in the Brazilian Grand Prix and failed to pick up enough points to win the Formula One championship, The climax to this sequence of woe came later on Sunday as Hong Kong's Marco Fu stunned Ronnie O'Sullivan to win the Royal London Watches Snooker Grand Prix. This last sporting event was the only one to be televised on the BBC.

A regular user of the Blackwall Tunnel told us "I have never seen drivers heading for the Blackwall Tunnel looking so shell-shocked. Failures of our sporting heroes just seem to keep coming thick and fast, unlike our sporting heroes who are often a little too thick and not quite fast enough. The nation is teetering on the brink of a major crisis. Hopefully, the cuts announced at the BBC will reduce further our chances of viewing the nation's sporting ineptitude in the future".

Drugs Shock for Tunnel User

2007-10-12T14:23:00.000+01:00

A regular user of the Blackwall Tunnel has found himself almost pushed to the brink of plunging into financial turmoil due to the spiralling cost of his drug use. While shopping earlier this week in Sainsbury's flagship store on the Greenwich Peninsula, close to the southern mouth of the Blackwall Tunnel, the tunnel user was shocked to find that none of Sainsbury's own brand pain relief ibuprofen tablets were on display and was forced to purchase a box of the branded Nurofen ibuprofen tablets instead.

The ibuprofen-using (for occasional headaches) Blackwall Tunnel regular, who wished his identity to remain a secret, told us "The Sainsbury's ibuprofen retail for between 35p and 40p, but the Nurofen for something closer to £2! If I needed to buy 200 boxes a week, then this would cost me over £15,000 more over 12 months, and that would be enough to cause me financial hardship. Fortunately, at the moment I am able to moderate my use, and Sainsbury's own brand tablets are available on most occasions I wish to purchase."

Sainsbury's were not contacted for comment.

Tunnel Spared in TV Fry Up

2007-10-01T16:42:00.000+01:00

Unaudited figures estimate that national treasure Stephen Fry will feature in a staggering 28.6 hours of broadcasting on BBC television this week. Programmes include tributes to the comedian on the occasion of his landmark fiftieth birthday, which he celebrated in August, and an erudite documentary about HIV. Part of the ubiquity of the presenter of the top BBC2 quiz show Q.I. is thought to be due to the absence of any other intelligent people able to string sentences together to participate in non-reality based television projects.

Nobody at the BBC was contacted for comment.

A regular user of the Blackwall Tunnel told us "The amount of time Mr Fry will be on television this week exceeds even the amount of time I will spend in the Blackwall Tunnel this year. I do not know if Mr Fry uses the Blackwall Tunnel on a regular basis, but I am sure that he would have something quite interesting to say about it."

Cauliflower Treat for Tunnel Users

2007-09-25T14:38:00.000+01:00

Hot on the heels of Elton John at the O2, the Greenwich Peninsula, which lies above the Blackwall Tunnel, is now home to a cutting edge public participation art project until 30th September led by leading environmental artist Kerry Morrison and commissioned by Greenwich based arts organization, Independent Photography. Part of the project is an art meets agriculture installation entitled "100 Cauliflowers" as a homage to the farming history of the peninsula.

A regular user of the Blackwall Tunnel told us "This is an exciting and original event for all users of the tunnel to celebrate. One hundred cauliflowers in an urban public sculpture should be a fine site to behold. However, I cannot help thinking that the use of root vegetables might have been a better tribute to the subterranean nature of the Blackwall Tunnel."

A close friend of a regular user of the Blackwall Tunnel told us "This is fantastic news and I hope it becomes an annual event. Next year I would like to see a sculpture consisting of suggestively shaped root vegetables."

At least one resident of the opulent, leafy outer London Borough of Bexley is thought to be outraged by the event, preferring showy romanesco broccoli to the humble cauliflower, and is thought to be set to launch an on-line petition in protest.

No Evidence for Tunnel Link to Northern Rock

2007-09-18T10:14:00.000+01:00

High street building society branches continue to be besieged by concerned investors desperate to withdraw their cash in many towns across the UK.

In a bizarre twist, any link between the Blackwall Tunnel and northern rock has been denied. One regular user of the Blackwall Tunnel told us "To the best of my knowledge, no member of Sheffield group Def Leppard has made use of the Blackwall Tunnel in the last week".

Tunnel Safe in UK Banking Crisis

2007-09-17T09:37:00.000+01:00

With one of the UK's leading mortgage lenders in turmoil and apocalyptic queues stretching outside high street building society branches as worried investors try frantically to withdraw their hard earned savings, special research for this blog can reveal that the Blackwall Tunnel should emerge from the crisis unscathed.

A self-appointed expert on the Blackwall Tunnel told us "Since the [Blackwall] Tunnel is in the South East and was bored under the Thames through London clay and water soaked gravel using what were, at the time, state-of-the-art tunnelling methods, it should not be impacted by any problems involving northern rock."

Northbound rush hour queues this morning extended well beyond the Woolwich Road Flyover, indicating "Business as Usual" for the Blackwall Tunnel.

Tunnel Snub in Car Free Day

2007-09-14T11:38:00.000+01:00

In another shocking snub to the Blackwall Tunnel, Greenwich Council have announced that the tunnel will be excluded from the 2007 Greenwich Car Free Day.

A regular user of the Blackwall Tunnel told us "This is yet another missed opportunity by Greenwich Council. I am sure thousands of Blackwall Tunnel users would have been sure to take advantage of the possibility to visit and walk through the Blackwall Tunnel. The Victorian western bore is an magnificent piece of engineering, probably under appreciated by the millions who travel through it every year. People generally just do not have the time to absorb and admire the beauty of the tunnel and its awe inspiring tile work. I wonder if Greenwich Council realize what an asset the Blackwall Tunnel is to the borough."

The car free zone will be restricted to just the historic Greenwich town centre, ignoring the over 100 year history of the Blackwall Tunnel. In Greenwich town centre, the roads will be traffic free from 1pm to 5pm on Sunday 22nd September and cars replaced by people dancing, including what could be some shamefully sexually provocative Cuban dancing. A shocked friend of a regular user of the Blackwall Tunnel told us "I wonder where the council's priorities lie. Is it in providing services to the community, or encouraging people to shake potentially exposed parts of their body in public?"

Stunning Improvement in Northbound Journeys Continues

2007-09-12T13:43:00.000+01:00

Statistics collected for the month of August show that northbound morning peak journey times through the Blackwall Tunnel have improved for an astonishing second consecutive month. The average recorded journey time of 2 minutes 49 seconds is the fastest time recorded in 2007. Southbound journey times increased marginally compared to the previous month.

A regular user of the Blackwall Tunnel told us "The figures for the northbound journey times are exceptional. People have been quick to credit Transport for London and Ken Livingstone for the improvements, but I think that the users of the tunnel deserve a big pat on the back too for their work in keeping traffic flowing every day. Let us hope the improvement continues into the final months of the year".

Not everybody agrees with this assesment. A close friend of a regular user of the Blackwall Tunnel told us "The peak of the northbound journey times in the Blackwall Tunnel shows what a sorry state the country was in towards the end of Tony Blair's reign as Prime Minister, and the decreases since June must be due to the fantastic and diligent efforts of Gordon Brown since he came to power. The blip in June can probably be attributed to the sorry performance of Tim Henman at Wimbledon. We will have to wait another year to see what impact a Henman-free Wimbledon has on journey times through the tunnel."

Figures recorded show that August was also the hottest month of the year so far for average temperatures inside and outside the tunnel. The average temperature of 23.7C was over a degree higher than during the miserable month of July. The peak temperature recorded to date 2007 in the southbound tunnel of 29C on the 3rd August (not shown) still falls over 10C short of the highest temperature recorded in the 2006 canicule.

Tunnel Declared in "Tunnelly Place"

2007-08-30T14:06:00.000+01:00

The UK government is set to face intense criticism on its funding for wind farms in the UK in BBC Radio 4's flagship environmental programme, "Costing the Earth", set to be broadcast this evening. Claims will be made that wind farms are being built in areas without enough wind. It might also be suggested that the term "Wind Farm" be dropped to help dispel the popular public misconception that "Wind Farms" create wind in the same way that "Dairy Farms" create dairy products. Use of an alternative name FACCAP-WEGEL (FACility for the CAPture of Wind Energy for the Generation of ELectricity) could be promoted instead.

A regular user of the Blackwall Tunnel told us "I think it can be said that the Blackwall Tunnel is exactly where it is needed. This shows the incredible foresight of the Victorian engineers that they chose to construct their tunnel exactly where it would be needed many years after the tunnel completion in order to link the stretches of the A102 both north and south of the River Thames. What a shame that today's engineers do not show the same vision when planning their wind farms. While wind farms might not be being sited in windy places, the Blackwall Tunnel is definitely located in a tunnelly place."

Tunnel Link in Drug Mule Death

2007-08-24T14:13:00.000+01:00

A man found dead earlier this month in Peartree Way, Greenwich, which is less than half a mile from the southern mouth of the Blackwall Tunnel, had swallowed up to 2kg of Class A drugs in 140 packages according to the BBC. The drugs were estimated to have a street value of about £125,000.

A regular user of the Blackwall Tunnel told us "I find it hard to have any sympathy for this man who appears to have died doing a stupid thing with illegal substances. If he had dropped dead as little as 50 yards from the spot he was found, his death could have caused hours of misery for commuters on the southern approaches to the Blackwall Tunnel. We should be thankful that this is £125,000 of drugs which will not find their way on to the streets of south east London due to this man's sacrifice. However, one drugs mule is probably just the tip of the iceberg of the mammouth drugs trade".

The man has yet to be identified. The Daily Mail might be preparing to report on the possibility that he could have been an illegal immigrant.

Blackwall Tunnel Misery Behind Mass Exodus

2007-08-23T09:34:00.000+01:00

Statistics published yesterday showed that a staggering 385,000 people left the UK for the long term in the year to mid-2006.

A regular user of the Blackwall Tunnel told us "I am sure that the daily misery some feel at the queues at the Blackwall Tunnel is one of the reasons for some of the people who have decided to quit the UK, especially those who might once have been residents of the leafy, opulent, outer London Borough of Bexley. The end of the tidal flow could result in an even bigger exodus from our shores in the 2007 statistics." He went on to add "However, the net increase in population is a good thing as it means more people from around the world will be able to enjoy the splendour of the western bore of the Blackwall Tunnel".

This morning, the Daily Mail reported that immigration to the UK soared in the same period and published a helpful picture with the caption "asylum seekers in Bosnia ready to make an overland journey to Britain". A friend of a regular user of the Blackwall Tunnel told us "I guess we just have to trust the Daily Mail on this that the picture was taken in Bosnia, that the men in the picture, some of whom have darkish skins and moustaches, are asylum seekers, and that they do intend to travel to the UK."

Sensational Improvements in Northbound Journey Times

2007-08-07T16:27:00.000+01:00

The July statistics from TunnelBore for north and southbound journeys through the Blackwall Tunnel show a sensational improvement in northbound journey times during the morning rush hour. The July average northbound journey time of 2 minutes 51 seconds is the lowest recorded value in 2007 and is a staggering 10 seconds quicker than the peak average time recorded before the end of the peak-time tidal flow.

A regular user of the Blackwall Tunnel told us "These are indeed sensational results. For 30 years Transport for London and the Metropolitan Police had us duped into thinking that the tidal flow improved the rush hour traffic at the tunnel and forced drivers to run the risk of fatal head-on collisions with two-way traffic in the eastern bore. These statistics show the folly of that and how journeys have been improved and made safer for everyone. I'm sure many of those who reacted angrily and made inappropriate comments about Mayor Ken Livingstone on the on-line protest petitions will be eating their words and will choose to back him in the 2008 mayoral election in recognition of his stance for their increased road safety. It was a brave and controversial decision, but one which now looks fully justified. Fewer accidents will mean lower insurance premiums for everyone."

No residents of the leafy opulent London Borough of Bexley who led the calls for the reinstatement of the tidal flow, which these statistics show would increase the time taken to transit the Blackwall Tunnel, were asked for comment.

Average evening southbound journey times through the tunnel remain fairly constant, and despite the higher than average rainfall, average temperatures are the highest recorded in 2007.

The growth in support for the petitions protesting against the end of the peak-time tidal flow (and the single petition in favour) has come to a juddering halt. One of the petitions on the 10 Downing Street e-petition site has received an astonishingly rounded and balanced response from the Prime Ministers Office, symptomatic of the solid and responsible approach to government evident in the early days of Gordon Brown's premiership.

Blackwall Tunnel Outside Foot and Mouth Zone

2007-08-06T14:07:00.000+01:00

Blackwall Tunnel users were relieved to learn this morning that the vital Thames crossing remains outside the extended protection and surveillance zones following the outbreak of the horrific foot-and-mouth disease in Surrey.

The Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DeFRA) have announced an extension of the protection and surveillance zones to 10km. The Blackwall Tunnel is located 50km from Pirbright, the suspected origin of the outbreak. Symptons of the deadly and highly virulent foot-and-mouth disease in cattle include slobbering, shivering, and sores or blisters on feet. Britain has imposed a voluntary ban on exports of all animals and animal products which is yet another hard blow for farmers on the back of the miserable summer weather.

Supermarket stocks of beef are not yet believed to be affected, and top UK supermarket on-line shopping sites are continuing to offer beef products, including 800g of Extra Special British lean mince for £3.50 from Asda, approx 350g Jamie Oliver Rump Steak, Taste the Difference (traditionally matured for 21days) for £16.39/kg from Sainsbury's, and 500g Lean Ground Hereford Beef 10% Fat for £3.19 from Ocado (in partnership with Waitrose). In a bizarre twist, the Ocado site tries to lure customers into a further purchase with a "you might like" Discovery Chilli Con Carne Sauce to accompany the lean ground Hereford beef.

A regular user of the Blackwall Tunnel told us "Let's hope that the rapid action taken by the government departments can help bring the situation under control as soon as possible, and that we can continue to enjoy British beef products for the remainder of the barbecue season and our farmers can continue to prosper. However, I am shocked that Ocado should suggest a bottled sauce with a prime British beef product. Creating your own sauce from basic ingredients is not difficult and so much more satisfying."

All beef products should be kept refrigerated below 5C and the sell by and consume by dates respected, as well as any other instructions on the packaging. Foot-and-mouth disease reportedly poses only a minimal risk to humans.

Mass Celebration for Tunnel Birthday

2007-08-02T13:18:00.000+01:00

Despite the cloudy skies, drivers are swarming through the eastern (southbound) Blackwall Tunnel today in celebration of the 40th anniversary of the tunnel opening. The eastern bore of the Blackwall Tunnel was opened on 2nd August, 1967,over 70 years after the opening of the original tunnel, now known as the western or northbound bore.

Until earlier this year, the eastern bore often handled both north and southbound traffic during the morning rush hour in a system known as the "morning peak tidal flow". This practice has now stopped.

A regular user of the Blackwall Tunnel told us "Well done to the eastern bore for providing 40 years of excellent service. While the eastern bore does not have the same charm as the Victorian western bore, it is still a fine piece of architecture and a real reminder of how London must have felt in the swinging sixties. The recently enhanced small matrix signals and tunnel lighting blend perfectly with the environment. Transport for London should be congratulated for continuing to invest in the maintenance of the tunnel to keep it in near pristine condition after four tenths of a century of service".

Due to its more contemporary design, the southbound eastern bore can accommodate vehicles up to a height of 4.7m, some 70cm greater than the western bore. Vehicles over 4m high are forced to find alternative northbound crossings of the river Thames.

Bridge Turmoil Boost For Blackwall Tunnel

2007-07-30T12:28:00.000+01:00

The Blackwall Tunnel looks set to be East London's main Thames crossing for many years to come with the government calling for a second public enquiry into the proposed Thames Gateway Bridge after a first enquiry recommended that scheme be turned down. The government believed that the initial enquiry failed to provide adequate information about the impact of traffic and regeneration. The Thames Gateway Bridge scheme is proposed to link two areas of extreme deprivation in East London, Thamesmead to the south of the River Thames and Beckton to the north. The changes in traffic flow caused by the end of the peak time tidal flow at the Blackwall Tunnel are believed to have played a massive role in plunging the bridge scheme into turmoil.

A regular user of the Blackwall Tunnel told user told us "This is fantastic news for the Blackwall Tunnel and its thousands of regular users. People will be able to continue to enjoy its unique mix of beauty and functionality for many years to come, without facing the daily dilemma of which crossing to choose to traverse the River Thames. Despite the original tunnel being built over one hundred years ago, the designers then had the foresight to choose a subterranean design which provides no obstacle for air traffic in and out of London City Airport, and ensure that there was sufficient capacity to take the tunnel into the 21st century."

Councillors for the opulent, leafy London Borough of Bexley, which has lead the protest against the bridge which would link the London Boroughs of Newham and Greenwich, are overjoyed at the additional delays which will be caused by the reconvening of the enquiry, but gutted that the bridge project has not been rejected and buried once and for all.

If the bridge project was to be buried, it is thought unlikely that the Thames Gateway River Crossing scheme would resurface as a tunnel.

Chance for Tidal Flow Protestors to Address Ex-President

2007-07-23T13:08:00.000+01:00

Ex-president of the United States, Bill Clinton, is set to join the gleaming array of international superstars who have already appeared at the O2 complex on the Greenwich Peninsula since its opening a few weeks ago. Mr Clinton is set to appear in two "An Audience With" style shows at the IndigO2 venue, an intimate environment with a 2350 capacity, at 9am and midday on Tuesday 14th August. Tickets priced from £200, including either breakfast or lunch, are now on sale.

A regular user of the Blackwall Tunnel told us "This is fantastic news, and complements the high quality superstars the new O2 has been able to attract to date. While Mr Clinton might not be as good a dancer as Justin Timberlake, some might say he would stand a good chance of winning in a dance-off against Gary Barlow".

It is not known whether Mr Clinton will be using the Blackwall Tunnel to travel to or from the O2 venue. It is thought that high security considerations will mean that his transport plans will be kept a closely guarded secret. It is also not known whether South East London commuters, especially those from the leafy borough of Bexley, will seize the opportunity of the presence of a leading world statesman to advance their protest against the end of the morning peak tidal flow at the Blackwall Tunnel.

Tunnel User Clear in BBC Phone Scam Shame

2007-07-19T17:59:00.000+01:00

Fake phone-in competitions have forced top bosses at the BBC to hang their heads in shame. Top editorial leaders at the corporation have been chosen to be the fall guys for this amazing jaw-dropping massive display of incompetence, with several reported to have been suspended. Many viewers and listeners are though to be in a state of shock, with their confidence in this once great British institution undermined. As many as six shows are thought to be involved in the scandal. In the majority of cases, members of the production teams were chosen to be fake competition winners instead of honest members of the public who phoned in to take part. It is not clear whether the members of the production teams actually took the prizes on offer in the fake scam phone-ins.

The BBC top chief, Mark Thompson, has been given a vote of confidence by the BBC Trust. The "vote of confidence" from the club's governing board is much loved in the world of football, where it often precedes the humiliating sacking of the club manager.

An occasional user of the Blackwall Tunnel told us "Having never called in to a phone-in competition at the BBC, or any other broadcasting organization, I can honestly say I do not feel cheated. However, I did once try to call the Vanessa Feltz show on BBC London, but was not selected to go on air, probably because I hung up when her researcher answered."

The father of a regular user of the Blackwall Tunnel told us "I remember the days when the BBC was great, and used to tell us what was happening in the city, the suburbs, the provinces, the empire, other parts of the world, and Wales, occasionally, if there was a mining disaster. There was no need for competitions in those days, apart from the occasional invitation to send answers on a postcard. We need to return to those days and rebuild trust in the BBC."

Johnson To Face Questions on Tunnel Plans

2007-07-16T14:19:00.000+01:00

Top Tory blond bombshell Boris Johnson has announced his intention to seek selection as the Conservative Party candidate in the 2008 London Mayoral election. Current Mayor, Ken Livingstone, has already announced that he will seek election for a third term in the contest next year.

A regular user of the Blackwall Tunnel told us "Mr Johnson is certain to be quizzed over his plans for the Blackwall Tunnel, such as whether a charge is to be introduced for its use, whether the peak time tidal flow should be reinstated, and what is the future for other projects for new bridges or tunnels to cross the Thames in East London." Residents of Bexley are thought to be braced for an onslaught from Eton-educated Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson, in which he may accuse them of wallowing in victim status for their continued campaigns against traffic congestion and road improvement plans.

A close friend of a regular user of the Blackwall Tunnel told us "This is an exciting development. It will be interesting to see what perspective somebody from such a privileged background and MP for the safe Conservative seat of Henley can bring to the daily problems and challenges faced by Londoners."

Shock as Bexley Tunnel Petition Ignores Own Deadline

2007-07-11T15:49:00.000+01:00

The date of July 11th 2007 is set to go down in history as the momentous day on which the Tory controlled council for the prosperous leafy outer London Borough of Bexley presented their petition calling for the reinstatement of the morning peak tidal flow at the Blackwall Tunnel to the London Assembly.

Controversy has hit the petition as the declared intention the Bexley petition site was to run the campaign until the "end of June 2007". The petition appeared to be inaccessible for new signatures for a period at the beginning of July but in a shocking new development the petition appears to be active again with the organizers deciding to flout their own deadline and have continued to collect signatures after their cut-off date.

A close friend of a regular user of the Blackwall Tunnel told us "I am appalled by the behaviour of Bexley Council. How can we ever trust our elected representatives if they can not be trusted to respect simple deadlines? The Tory councillors and council officers should be hanging their heads in shame. I shall not be moving to Bexley nor frequenting its leading attractions, such as the Crayford one-way system and Erith, with its enchanting Riverside development and fish-enhanced roundabout."

As the campaigns for the reinstatement of the Blackwall Tunnel tidal flow wind down, with commuters now benefiting from the enhanced safety of the decision, the Bexley petition appears in a solid second place for popularity amongst the petitions launched after the decision, despite a relatively late entry into the battle.

Tunnel Transit Times Steady During June

2007-07-05T14:49:00.000+01:00

Latest statistics compiled for the TunnelBore blog show that average journey times through the north and southbound Blackwall Tunnels in June 2007 remained similar to those recorded during the previous month. Journey times through the western (northbound) bore showed an slight increase of 3 seconds (1.75%) compared to May, but remain significantly lower than the average journey times commuters experienced prior to the end of the peak-time tidal flow in April. The opening of the new O2 concert and entertainment venue do not seem to have had an adverse effect on evening southbound journeys to date.

Despite the ever increasing threat of global warming, average external and tunnel temperatures continue to show variation in line with seasonal expectations.

A regular user of the Blackwall Tunnel told us "These are another fantastic set of figures for the Blackwall Tunnel. Users and all those responsible for the upkeep all deserve massive congratulations for their continued contribution to the success of the tunnel. The temperature figures are reassuring. However, what a tragedy that rainfall figures at the tunnel are not recorded. I am sure that June could have been shown to be a record breaking month for rainfall at the Blackwall Tunnel".

French Invasion Adds to Tunnel Congestion

2007-07-04T11:47:00.000+01:00

Regular northbound commuters at the Blackwall Tunnel were faced with additional delays this morning due to a high number of support vans and cars, many of which were French registered, invading London in preparation for the prologue and first stage of the Tour de France taking place in the capital and Kent this weekend.

A friend of a regular user of the Blackwall Tunnel told us "These French invasions are quite a regular occurrence, with the high number of French markets which take place all over the south east for which the French flood our shores with garlic, sausage and cheese sellers. However, this invasion looks to be on a different scale completely causing additional misery for tunnel users. It is a good job the peak time tidal flow is no longer in operation, because all these French drivers might have been tempted to drive on the right in the eastern bore. That could have been a recipe for catastrophe and caused carnage."

Not all travellers view this French invasion as a bad thing. A regular user of the Blackwall Tunnel told us "I think the Tour de France coming to London is great news. Millions of viewers across the world will be able to see the fantastic sites of the city, including the Woolwich Road flyover and the Blackwall Tunnel Southern Approach." The first stage of the Tour de France will pass under the Woolwich Road flyover, about 1/2 mile from the Blackwall Tunnel mouth, on Sunday morning. This will be the first time in the 104 year history that "Le Tour" will pass so close to the 110 year old tunnel, which will not be referred to as "Le Tunnel de Blackwall" during radio traffic bulletins on the day to mark the occasion.

No Brown Boost for Blackwall Tunnel

2007-06-28T13:37:00.000+01:00

Blackwall Tunnel commuters were frustrated to find this morning that after nearly 24 hours in the role, new UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown had still not addressed the critical problem of peak time congestion at the Blackwall Tunnel. A regular user of the Blackwall Tunnel told us "There seems to have been no change at all in congestion since the end of the Blair era. How much longer can this situation be allowed to continue? It is no use hoping that things can only get better. Action is needed and soon."

Former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair is set to become a special envoy for the European Union, United States, the United Nations and Russia in the Middle East. Some observers believe that given the title of "Middle East Peace Envoy" may sit uncomfortably with some governments and organizations in the region due to Mr Blair's previous record in the region and him having been a driving force behind the war in Iraq. The title "Middle East Solution Executive" has been suggested as being more acceptable to all parties for the role Mr Blair is expected to play.

Bexley Backed Petition Soars in Pointless Protest

2007-06-26T17:52:00.001+01:00

Despite the announcement on 7th June that the peak time tidal flow at the Blackwall Tunnel would not be reinstated, support for the petition for the restoration of the tidal flow backed by the Tory controlled council for the leafy outer London borough of Bexley has soared, with the number of signatures more than doubling in the last month, and the petition leaping from third to second place in the race to gather the most signatures.

Council leaders are claiming victory in the battle, having won a massive climbdown from Transport for London in an apology "to Bexley residents for its handling of the decision to scrap the tidal flow". No mention of a specific apology to Bexley residents appears in the statement on the Greater London Authority site.

Support for the only petition in favour of the end of the tidal flow has remained constant and solid throughout the month of June, with the current number of signatures at 100% of that counted at the end of May.*

A regular user of the Blackwall Tunnel told us "Residents of Bexley must be excited at the prospect of Bexley Council presenting their petition to the London Assembly on 11 July. Not much else happens in Bexley and they do not have much else to look forward to. This could be the highlight of their year".

* Editors note: The total number of signatures for the petition at http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/Tunnel-Flow-Shut/ on 31 May 2007 was 1.

Shock as First O2 Event Receive Positive Feedback

2007-06-22T12:26:00.000+01:00

Up to 12,000 local residents were lucky enough to visit a preview night at the O2, the venue formerly known as the Millenium Dome, on Wednesday 20th June. To the horror of casual observers, the initial event appears to have been a success and visitors generally upbeat about the venue.

Positive reporting has been left to enthusiastic local bloggers such as The Greenwich Phantom , The Last Bus Home and Charlton Average . One blog reported "It all seems really rather good". Well respected local free sheets such as the News Shopper and The Wharf have so far chosen to let the success pass without comment. A close friend of a regular user of the Blackwall Tunnel told us "Congratulations to the O2 owners. I guess good news is no news. Just think how much free coverage in the press they missed by delivering the project on time and on budget. However, I am sure it can only be a matter of time before there are revelations of a sensational oversight at the site, the misery the venue causes to visitors and local residents, or the extortionate cost of a bottle of water."

Rumours are already circulating of a dangerous hygiene risk to 20,000 visitors to the O2 caused by an empty soap dispenser in toilets located on the ground floor of the venue. To the credit of the venue, all toilet roll holders are rumoured to be functioning.