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Route 2: Quad to Malet Place

Gower Street, London, WC1E 6BT

Access Guide

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Summary

  • The following information describes the route from the Main Quad to Malet Place via Gower Street and Torrington Place.
  • The approximate distance of this route is 500 metres.
  • The route takes approximately 5 minutes.
  • The majority of paths along the route consist of tarmac, block or brick paving with some slight gradients in places.
  • The potential hazards on this route include; busy roads, crossing points 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 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 Turning to Malet Place Entrance

  • Having turned onto Torrington Place, continue ahead for approximately 60 metres towards the entrance to Malet Place.
  • The path surface along this section of the route consists of block paving.
  • Approximately 20 metres along Torrington Place there is a vehicle entrance point that crosses the path.
  • There is no tactile paving on either side of the crossing.
  • The path is level with the road on both sides.
  • The road surface consists of tarmac and is both level and even.
  • Be wary of vehicles entering/exiting when approaching the crossing.
  • Having crossed, continue along Torrington Place for the remaining 40 metres towards the entrance to Malet Place.

Malet Place Entrance

  • On approach to the Malet Place entrance, turn slightly left to towards the 85cm wide pedestrian gate (photograph 2).
  • Immediately prior to the gate there are panels of metal grating on the pathway (photograph 1).
  • There is an easy gradient slope immediately beyond the gate leading down into Malet Place (photograph 3).
  • The path surface changes from block paving to tarmac upon entering the gate.
  • An alternative route is available in the form of a 330cm wide gate (photograph 5) which can be accessed via the Malet Place road crossing (photograph 4).
  • The crossing has tactile paving as well as a dropped kerbs.
  • There is a slight gradient between the path and the road at the crossing.
  • This gate is occasionally used by vehicles, so be wary when entering via the road.
  • The surface of the road in front of the gate consists of tarmac and is uneven with an easy gradient sloping towards the gate.

Malet Place

  • Malet Place is a pedestrianised street approximately 120 metres long.
  • Approximately 15 metres beyond the entrance to Malet Place are bollards with a width of 120cm between them (photograph 1).
  • Malet Place provides access to the South Quad, the Roberts, Malet Place Engineering Building, Darwin, DMS Watson Science Library and Medawar Buildings as well as Foster Court, the Petrie Museum of Egyptian Archaeology and 33-35 Torrington Place.
  • The path surface consists of tarmac with sections of brick paving and has a slight easy downwards gradient along its entirety.
  • The path is uneven in places mainly due to lowered drain covers (photograph 4).