The scheme which we were instructed to audit is a new two-bore tunnel under the River Thames in London to connect Silvertown on the North and Greenwich on the South side of the River Thames with new junctions at either end. The tunnel section itself will have two lanes in both directions, with one of the lanes being a dedicated Bus/Coach/HGV lane. The purpose of the scheme is to provide an additional river crossing to alleviate current traffic levels and congestion at the nearby Blackwall Tunnel as well as providing an opportunity for regeneration on both sides of the river. For the tunnel section and tie in junctions, TMS carried out Stage 2 Road Safety Audits, but in addition has carried out Stage 1 audits on the proposed Temporary Traffic Management schemes on the A102 and Millennium Way that will be necessary to facilitate the construction works.

The scheme is quite varied in the sense that the two junctions at either end of the tunnel section are different. At the Silvertown Junction a traffic signal junction is proposed and at the northern end (Silvertown), a large traffic signal junction is to be provided to tie into the existing local road network and features facilities for pedestrians and cyclists.

A free flow slip-road design is proposed at the Greenwich Junction. At the southern end (Greenwich), entry and exits to and from the tunnel portal will feed as free slip roads into the A102 which will also provide entry and exit to the Blackwall Tunnel.

Darren Newbold, the Audit Team Leader for the scheme, found the project to be of particular interest.  Darren commented:  “It will be the first new Thames River crossing to the east of Tower Bridge in over thirty years (Dartford Crossing being the last)”.

This will also be the first time TMS have been involved in any River Thames crossing infrastructure. The initial site visit was interesting as the audit team were able to take the Emirates Cable Car, from which gave a superb overhead view of the alignment of the new tunnel.  This is a unique scheme for TMS, as a company, to be involved in and for the auditors it will be interesting to see the scheme develop over the next few years, before having a drive through in 2025.

The public realm scheme, which is located on Tower South Road, Birkenhead was completed in March 2021. The works were commissioned by a leading consultancy in transport planning, infrastructure design and flood risk. We were involved with all stages of the Road Safety Audit process to ensure proper safety procedures were undertaken throughout. A key objective of the scheme was to improve the environment for all road users, with wider high-quality pavements for pedestrians and cyclists, narrower carriageways to reduce traffic speeds, new crossing points to link existing and future developments at Wirral Waters and the surrounding areas. The scheme aimed to influence driver behaviour, which included reducing speeds but also providing awareness of a change in environment, with road safety in mind. The scheme had to have a clear perception of safety whilst maintaining the attractiveness of the area for students, employees, and visitors.

The public realm scheme is a hybrid style with separated footway/cycleway but with minimal signage and direction. Innovative and striking features including an imprinted ‘roundel design’ to replace the existing signalised junction, (this feature is the equivalent to an informal roundabout). Red and white ‘chevron’ footways were another unique feature. With the removal of conventional features such as signal control and standard footways, this can add an element of uncertainty and caution for users. Although this can be a positive for road safety improvements, if this is executed correctly.

Lee Williams, who was one of the auditors for the scheme, stated that “this was a good example of auditing a scheme with new and innovative elements, whilst keeping an open mind, but still ensuring good execution and road safety”. The audit process was followed from start to finish and as a result, safety improvements were made to the scheme following our recommendations.

The scheme has recently been featured in the local press and has been nominated for an award:

“We’re thrilled that the Tower Road Streetscape, our project to create a safe and attractive thoroughfare in #WirralWaters, has been shortlisted for the Liverpool Sub-regional Project of the Year in the NW Regional Construction Awards!”

Link: twitter.com/WirralWaters/status/1443535773077327873

If you require a road safety audit in any part of the UK and on any type of scheme, no matter how big or small (from a motorway upgrade to a single residential access), please contact Lorna Styring or call the office on 024 7669 0900.