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Route 3: Quad to Institute of Education (IOE)

Gower Street, London, WC1E 6BT

Access Guide

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Summary

  • The following information describes the route from the Main Quad to IOE via Gower Street, Torrington Place, Byng Place, Gordon Square and Bedford Way.
  • The approximate distance of this route is 650 metres.
  • The route takes approximately 8 minutes.
  • The following information describes the route from the Main Quad to the Cruciform Building via Gower Street.
  • The approximate distance of this route is 100m.
  • The route takes approximately 2 minutes.
  • The majority of paths along the route consist of tarmac or block paving with some slight gradients in places.
  • The potential hazards on this route include; busy roads, crossing points (Torrington Place, Malet Place, Woburn Square) and congested pathways.
  • For further information regarding the Cruciform Building please click here.

Main Quad

  • The Main Quad is located off Gower Street.
  • At the entrance/exit of the Main Quad there are two 85cm wide gates for pedestrians (photographs 7 and 8).
  • These gates are located on either side of the 330cm wide main gate used by both vehicles and pedestrians (photograph 6).
  • There are also bollards located immediately beyond/before the gates as you enter/exit the Main Quad (photograph 6).
  • These bollards have gaps between 90cm-120cm wide.
  • The Chadwick, North-West Wing, North Wing (Slade Building), Wilkins Buildings (including North and South Cloisters) and South Wing can be accessed via the Main Quad.
  • Only the Chadwick, North-West Wing and Wilkins Buildings (except North Cloisters) are accessible via external ramps.
  • Please see the relevant access guides for further information regarding access to these buildings.
  • The majority of the Main Quad has a tarmac surface.
  • The tarmac is loose/uneven in places.
  • There are easy gradients throughout the Main Quad including on the pedestrian pathways.
  • The pathways (photograph 9) consist mostly of block paving and are narrow and uneven in places.
  • There is ample seating available in the form of wooden benches (photograph 10).
  • These are located along the entirety of the pathways.
  • There are 2 Blue Badge bays available within the quad (photographs 11 and 12).
  • These are located on either side of the main building.
  • There is an information point located at the front lodge, on the left hand side of the Main Quad entrance/exit gates (photograph 13).
  • Please see the relevant access guide for further information regarding the front lodge information point.

Main Quad to Torrington Place Turning

  • Upon exiting the Quad, turn left and head along Gower Street for approximately 240 metres towards Torrington Place.
  • The path along this section of the route consists mostly of tarmac with sections of brick paving and concrete when exiting the quad.
  • The path is mostly level with easy gradients in places.
  • The path is uneven in places partly due to lowered drain hole covers (photograph 4).
  • Upon reaching the Torrington Place turning, turn left.
  • There is tactile paving across the pathway at the turning (photograph 10).
  • There is also a university map column located at the turning (photograph 11).

Torrington Place Crossing

  • The Crossing has tactile paving and dropped kerbs on both sides.
  • There are slight slopes/ gradients between the path and the road on both sides.
  • The road surface has a slight camber and consists of tarmac.
  • The road is mostly even with uneven areas.
  • There are visual signals available at this crossing.
  • The visual signals are activated via push buttons. These are between the heights of 100cm and 106cm.
  • There are rotating cones located at the base of the push button boxes to indicate when it is safe to cross.
  • Traffic flow is from the right hand side for vehicles and the left hand side for cyclists.

Torrington Place Crossing to Malet Street Crossing

  • Having Crossed over Torrington Place, turn left and continue ahead along Torrington Place for approximately 55 metres towards the Malet Street Crossing.
  • The path along this section of the route consists of block paving.
  • There is a slight easy gradient sloping towards the road along the entirety of the path.
  • The path also has an easy gradient downhill slope along its entirety.
  • The path is mostly even with the exception of raised paving slabs in places along the left hand side.
  • This is caused by tree roots.
  • The path narrows in places due to obstructions such as shop signage and trees/ bicycle racks to one side (photograph 2 and 3).

Malet Street Crossing

  • Upon reaching the end of the path, cross the road over Malet Place.
  • The crossing has tactile paving and dropped kerbs on both sides.
  • There are easy gradients between the path and the road on both sides.
  • The road surface has a slight uphill easy gradient along its entirety.
  • The road surface consists of tarmac and is mostly even.
  • There are no visual signals available at this crossing.
  • Traffic flow is from the right hand side for vehicles and the left hand side for cyclists.

Malet Street Crossing to Byng Place

  • Having crossed over Malet Street, continue ahead along Torrington Place for approximately 50 metres towards Byng Place.
  • The path along this section of the route consists of block paving.
  • There is tactile paving across the path (photograph 2) approximately 7 metres beyond the crossing.
  • There is an easy downhill slope along the entirety of the path.
  • The path is mostly even with uneven areas.
  • After approximately 40 metres, there is a vehicle access road crossing.
  • The crossing has no tactile paving.
  • The crossing has dropped kerbs on both sides.
  • The path is level with the road on both sides.
  • The road surface consists of brick paving and dips in the centre due to a drain.
  • The road is mostly even with uneven areas.
  • When crossing, be wary of vehicles entering/exiting the road.

Woburn Square Crossings

  • The crossing has tactile paving and dropped kerbs on both sides.
  • There are steep gradients between the path and the road on both sides.
  • The road surface consists of tarmac
  • The road surface has a slight camber and is mostly even.
  • There are no visual signals available at this crossing.
  • When crossing, be wary of vehicles entering/exiting Woburn Square.
  • Approximately 15 metres after crossing over Woburn Square, there is a similar crossing also called Woburn Square (photographs 7 and 8).
  • This crossing has an slight gradient between the path and the road on one side and steep on the other.
  • The path between the two crossings consists of block paving and has a slight camber.
  • There is tactile paving across the road immediately beyond the first crossing (photographs 5 and 6).
  • The path is mostly even with uneven areas due to lowered/raised drain covers.

Woburn Square Crossings to Bedford Way Turning

  • Having traversed both Woburn Square crossings, continue ahead for approximately 70 metres towards the Bedford Way crossing.
  • The path along this section of the route consists of block paving.
  • The path has a slight easy gradient sloping towards the road along its entirety.
  • The path also has an easy uphill slope along its entirety.
  • The path is mostly even with uneven areas due to lowered/raised drain hole covers (photographs 3, 5, 6).
  • Upon reaching the end of the path, turn right past the phone box and onto Bedford Way.
  • The path to the left of the phone box has tactile paving across it (photograph 6).
  • The path to the right of the phone box avoids the tactile paving but is slightly uneven due to lowered/raised paving slabs (photograph 9).

Bedford Way Turning to IOE

  • Having turned, continue ahead along Bedford Way for approximately 150 metres towards the IOE.
  • The path along this section of the route consists of block paving.
  • The path has a slight uphill slope along its entirety as well as a slight easy gradient slope towards the road.
  • The path is mostly even with uneven areas due to lowered/raised drain hole covers.
  • Stay right to avoid the trees that line the left hand side of the path.
  • There are entrances either side of the main entrance of the IOE that both have step free access. The entrance with a platform lift beyond the entrance is shown in photographs 6 and 7.
  • Th entrance to the left of the main entrance is shown in photographs 8 and 9. It was closed for renovation at time of survey (September 2022).
  • The IOE main entrance (photograph 10) has no step free access. It was also undergoing work but was in use.
  • For further information regarding access into the IOE please see the relevant access guide.