A102 road
Encyclopedia
The A102 is a road that starts in Clapton
in the north London Borough of Hackney
and ends in Kidbrooke
in the south London Borough of Greenwich
. The A102 was formerly a continuous route including two motorway sections classified as the A102(M) however, subsequent to the renumbering of part of the route in 1999, the A102 designation belongs only to the section including the Blackwall Tunnel
linking the A12 and the A2 and also to the section from Clapton to Hackney Wick.
just to the west of the Hackney Wick
interchange with the A12.
South of the A12/A13 interchange with the adjacent landmark Ernő Goldfinger
designed Balfron Tower
, the designation of the Blackwall Tunnel Approach reverts back to the A102 through the Blackwall Tunnels and under the River Thames
to Greenwich. The road continues south-east as Blackwall Tunnel Southern Approach with flyovers over Blackwall Lane (A2203) and Woolwich Road (A206
) before it heads south and climbs the hill to the Sun-in-the-Sands interchange with Shooters Hill Road (A2
/A207) where it ends a short distance to the south of the junction as the road becomes the A2 road which joins from the roundabout above.
The A102 south of Old Ford, the southbound Blackwall Tunnel and the two sections of the A102(M) were all constructed in the mid and late 1960s as part of the East Cross Route
which was intended to be the eastern section of the Ringway 1
(also known as the London Motorway Box) an ambitious and controversial Greater London Council
plan to surround London with high speed roads - known as the London Ringways
which was eventually canceled.
Prior to 1999, the A102 from the A2203 flyover to the A2 was designated as a second section of A102(M) motorway. The A102 continued through this junction passing under the East Cross Route
flyover and joined the southbound East Cross Route
where it was designated the A102(M) motorway as far as the south side of the grade separated Old Ford interchange. Here the designation reverted to the A102 along the southbound Blackwall Tunnel
Northern Approach, under the triple-deck Bow
interchange with the A11 and on towards East India Dock Road (A13) and the Blackwall Tunnel. When the A12 extension was opened through Wanstead
, Leytonstone
and Leyton
to meet the north end of the East Cross Route at the Lea Interchange (and prompting the M11 link road protest
), the A102(M) and the A102 as far south as the A13 were renumbered A12.
Lower Clapton
Lower Clapton is a district within the London Borough of Hackney.It is immediately adjacent to central Hackney - bounded, roughly, by the western side of Hackney Downs , the Lea Valley , Clifden Road and the Lea Bridge Road...
in the north London Borough of Hackney
London Borough of Hackney
The London Borough of Hackney is a London borough of North/North East London, and forms part of inner London. The local authority is Hackney London Borough Council....
and ends in Kidbrooke
Kidbrooke
Kidbrooke is a district of South East London, England, located in the London Borough of Greenwich.The district takes its name from the Kyd Brook, a watercourse which runs from Orpington to Lewisham, by which point it is part of the River Quaggy...
in the south London Borough of Greenwich
London Borough of Greenwich
The London Borough of Greenwich is an Inner London borough in south-east London, England. Taking its name from the historic town of Greenwich, the present borough was formed in 1965 by the amalgamation of the former area of the Metropolitan Borough of Greenwich with part of the Metropolitan...
. The A102 was formerly a continuous route including two motorway sections classified as the A102(M) however, subsequent to the renumbering of part of the route in 1999, the A102 designation belongs only to the section including the Blackwall Tunnel
Blackwall Tunnel
The Blackwall Tunnel is a pair of road tunnels underneath the River Thames in east London, linking the London Borough of Tower Hamlets with the London Borough of Greenwich, and part of the A102 road. The northern portal lies just south of the East India Dock Road in Blackwall; the southern...
linking the A12 and the A2 and also to the section from Clapton to Hackney Wick.
Route
The A102 starts in Clapton at the junction of Lower Clapton Road and Urswick Road. It runs south along Urswick Road and continues east past 16th century Sutton House, East London's oldest house, and into Homerton High Street. It next turns south and runs along Kenworthy Road and then east into Wick Road for a short distance before the road designation ends at the A106A106 road
The A106 is an A road in London, England. It runs from Hackney to Leytonstone....
just to the west of the Hackney Wick
Hackney Wick
Hackney Wick is an area straddling the boundary between the London Borough of Hackney and the London Borough of Tower Hamlets in east London. It is an inner-city development situated 5 miles northeast of Charing Cross...
interchange with the A12.
South of the A12/A13 interchange with the adjacent landmark Ernő Goldfinger
Erno Goldfinger
Ernő Goldfinger was a Hungarian-born Jewish architect and designer of furniture, and a key member of the architectural Modern Movement after he had moved to the United Kingdom.-Biography:Goldfinger was born in Budapest...
designed Balfron Tower
Balfron Tower
Balfron Tower is a 27-storey housing block in Poplar, a district of the London Borough of Tower Hamlets in the East End of London, UK. It forms part of the Brownfield Estate, an area of social housing between Chrisp Street Market and the A12 northern approach to the Blackwall Tunnel...
, the designation of the Blackwall Tunnel Approach reverts back to the A102 through the Blackwall Tunnels and under the River Thames
River Thames
The River Thames flows through southern England. It is the longest river entirely in England and the second longest in the United Kingdom. While it is best known because its lower reaches flow through central London, the river flows alongside several other towns and cities, including Oxford,...
to Greenwich. The road continues south-east as Blackwall Tunnel Southern Approach with flyovers over Blackwall Lane (A2203) and Woolwich Road (A206
A206 road
The A206 road links Greenwich with Greenhithe following the line of the River Thames. Today it is approximately 15 miles in length, although the final section is a relatively new road. Its primary purpose is to link into the London Orbital motorway at the Dartford Crossing and is heavily used by...
) before it heads south and climbs the hill to the Sun-in-the-Sands interchange with Shooters Hill Road (A2
A2 road (Great Britain)
The A2 is a major road in southern England, connecting London with the English Channel port of Dover in Kent. This route has always been of importance as a connection between the British capital of London and sea trade routes to Continental Europe...
/A207) where it ends a short distance to the south of the junction as the road becomes the A2 road which joins from the roundabout above.
History
Until the late 1960s the A102 terminated at the junction with the A106 (Hackney Wick) and balance of the route described above to the junction with the A107 (via Wick Road, Kenworthy Road, Homerton High Street, Urswick Road, Lower Clapton road) was designated as B category (B112).The A102 south of Old Ford, the southbound Blackwall Tunnel and the two sections of the A102(M) were all constructed in the mid and late 1960s as part of the East Cross Route
East Cross Route
East Cross Route is a dual-carriageway road constructed in east London as part of the uncompleted Ringway 1 as part of the London Ringways plan drawn up the 1960s to create a series of high speed roads circling and radiating out from central London...
which was intended to be the eastern section of the Ringway 1
Ringway 1
Ringway 1 or the London Motorway Box was the innermost of the series of four motorway standard roads, known as the London Ringways as part of a comprehensive scheme developed by the Greater London Council to provide high speed motorway-standard roads within the capital linking a series of radial...
(also known as the London Motorway Box) an ambitious and controversial Greater London Council
Greater London Council
The Greater London Council was the top-tier local government administrative body for Greater London from 1965 to 1986. It replaced the earlier London County Council which had covered a much smaller area...
plan to surround London with high speed roads - known as the London Ringways
London Ringways
The London Ringways were a series of four ring roads planned in the 1960s to circle London at various distances from the city centre. They were part of a comprehensive scheme developed by the Greater London Council to alleviate traffic congestion on the city's road system by providing high speed...
which was eventually canceled.
Prior to 1999, the A102 from the A2203 flyover to the A2 was designated as a second section of A102(M) motorway. The A102 continued through this junction passing under the East Cross Route
East Cross Route
East Cross Route is a dual-carriageway road constructed in east London as part of the uncompleted Ringway 1 as part of the London Ringways plan drawn up the 1960s to create a series of high speed roads circling and radiating out from central London...
flyover and joined the southbound East Cross Route
East Cross Route
East Cross Route is a dual-carriageway road constructed in east London as part of the uncompleted Ringway 1 as part of the London Ringways plan drawn up the 1960s to create a series of high speed roads circling and radiating out from central London...
where it was designated the A102(M) motorway as far as the south side of the grade separated Old Ford interchange. Here the designation reverted to the A102 along the southbound Blackwall Tunnel
Blackwall Tunnel
The Blackwall Tunnel is a pair of road tunnels underneath the River Thames in east London, linking the London Borough of Tower Hamlets with the London Borough of Greenwich, and part of the A102 road. The northern portal lies just south of the East India Dock Road in Blackwall; the southern...
Northern Approach, under the triple-deck Bow
Bow, London
Bow is an area of London, England, United Kingdom in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets. It is a built-up, mostly residential district located east of Charing Cross, and is a part of the East End.-Bridges at Bowe:...
interchange with the A11 and on towards East India Dock Road (A13) and the Blackwall Tunnel. When the A12 extension was opened through Wanstead
Wanstead
Wanstead is a suburban area in the London Borough of Redbridge, North-East London. The main road going through Wanstead is the A12. The name is from the Anglo-Saxon words wænn and stede, meaning "settlement on a small hill"....
, Leytonstone
Leytonstone
Leytonstone is an area of east London and part of the London Borough of Waltham Forest. It is a high density suburban area, located seven miles north east of Charing Cross in the ceremonial county of Greater London and the historic county of Essex...
and Leyton
Leyton
Leyton is an area of north-east London and part of the London Borough of Waltham Forest, located north east of Charing Cross. It borders Walthamstow and Leytonstone; Stratford in Newham; and Homerton and Lower Clapton in the London Borough of Hackney....
to meet the north end of the East Cross Route at the Lea Interchange (and prompting the M11 link road protest
M11 link road protest
The M11 link road protest was a major anti-road protest in east London, United Kingdom, in the early 1990s opposing the construction of the "A12 Hackney to M11 link road", also known as the M11 Link Road...
), the A102(M) and the A102 as far south as the A13 were renumbered A12.