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Route 1: Quad to Gordon Street

Gower Street, London, WC1E 6BT

Access Guide

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Summary

  • The following information describes the route from the Main Quad to Gordon Street via Gower Street and Gower Place.
  • The approximate distance of this route is 320 metres.
  • The route takes approximately 5 minutes.
  • The majority of the paths along the route consist of tarmac, paving slabs, and some paving with some slight gradients in places.
  • The potential hazards on this route include; busy roads, crossing points (Gordon Street, Gower Place) and congested pathways.

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 Gower Place Turning

  • Upon exiting the Quad, turn right and head towards the road crossing approximately 110 metres along Gower Street.
  • The path along this section of the route consists mostly of tarmac with sections of brick paving and concrete when exiting the quad.
  • There is also block paving on the approach to the Gower Place turning.
  • The path is mostly level with easy gradients in places.
  • The path is uneven in places due to slightly lowered drain covers.
  • The path narrows in places due to obstructions such as lampposts and transformer boxes.
  • Approximately 40 metres along Gower Street, there is a section of tactile paving across the path (photograph 4).
  • Immediately prior to the Gower Place turning, there is a road sign with 2 metal support poles located in the centre of the path (photographs 7 and 8).
  • The width of the gap between the poles is 90cm.
  • Upon reaching the end of the path, turn right onto Gower Place.

Gower Place Turning to Gordon Street

  • Head along Gower Place for approximately 170m towards the Gordon Street crossing.
  • The path along this section of the route consists of paving slabs
  • The path is mostly level with easy gradients in places.
  • The path is mostly even with the exception of a drain covers and other uneven paving and surfaces (photographs 2 to 4, and photograph 6).
  • After a further 40m there are a series of lamp posts restricting width to 167cm (photograph 5).
  • Approximately 130m along Gower Place, there is a vehicle entrance point into Gower Court (photographs 7 and 8).
  • The crossing has tactile paving on both sides.
  • The dropped kerbs have slopes with a steep incline between the path and the road.
  • The road is level.
  • The road surface consists of tarmac that is uneven in places.
  • There are no visual signals available at this crossing.
  • When crossing be wary of vehicles entering/exiting Gower Court.
  • Having crossed, continue along Gower Place for a further 40m towards the Gordon Street (photographs 9 to 11).

Gordon Street Right Hand Side

  • Upon reaching Gordon Street, turn right past a zebra crossing on the left (photographs 1 and 2).
  • The surface here is level on the right.
  • There is a slope to the left with a slight incline at a dropped kerb for the zebra crossing.
  • This side of Gordon Street is approximately 110m long
  • The path along this side of Gordon Street consists of both brick and block paving.
  • The path is mostly level with easy gradients in places.
  • The path is mostly even with uneven areas (photographs 3 and 4).
  • There are further uneven areas (photographs 7 and 8).
  • Ramped access to Gordon Street 25 Department of Mathematics and University College London Union is located 5m on the right (photograph 5).
  • Gordon Street 19 London Centre for Nanotechnology is approximately 65m on the right (photograph 9).
  • Gordon Street 15 Bloomsbury Cafe is approximately 70m on the right (photographs 10 to 12).
  • Gordon Street 15 The Bloomsbury Theatre and the Students Union is approximately 100m on the right (photographs 13 to 15).

Gordon Street Crossing - Access to the Left Hand Side of Gordon Street

  • Upon reaching Gordon Street, turn immediately right and head approximately 5 metres towards the Gordon Street Crossing.
  • The crossing has tactile paving and dropped kerbs on both sides.
  • There is a moderate gradient between the path and the road.
  • The road is level.
  • The road surface consists of tarmac that is uneven in places.
  • There are no visual signals available at this crossing.
  • Be wary when crossing, as the road is busy and traffic flows from both sides.

Gordon Street Left Hand Side

  • Having crossed at the Gordon Street crossing, turn right.
  • This side of Gordon Street is approximately 150m long.
  • The path along this side of Gordon Street consists of paving slabs.
  • The path becomes uneven immediately following the crossing due to drain covers.
  • Beyond this, the path is mostly even with a slight easy gradient sloping towards the road.
  • Gordon Street 22 The Faculty of the Built Environment, and Bartlett School of Architecture, including The Brew Bar, are approximately 20m on the left (photographs 1 to 3).
  • Gordon Street 20 The Christopher Ingold Building, UCL Department of Chemistry is approximately 65m on the left (photographs 5 to 7).
  • Ramped access to Gordon Square 22 Gordon House is approximately 105m on the left (photographs 9 and 10).

Gordon Square Crossing

  • There is a zebra crossing further along the road, where Gordon Street joins Gordon Square.
  • The crossing crosses the continuation of Gordon Street, from the left hand side of Gordon Street to the right hand side.
  • The zebra crossing features dropped kerbs with tactile paving.
  • The approach to the crossing may be uneven in places.
  • The dropped kerbs have a slope with steep incline.
  • The road crossing surface is tarmac and is level.
  • Traffic approaches from both directions.