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Over the coming months the pedestrian approach to London's landmark cultural institutions is getting a major glow-up as part of the Spine Route Project!
If you’ve been around the Royal Festival Hall recently you will have likely noticed that there are some new roadworks busy picking up steam. These upgrades to Belvedere Road and Concert Hall Approach are all part of Lambeth Council’s multi-million pound ‘Spine Route’ regeneration project.
The ‘Spine Route’ refers to the network of 'spine'-like roads that run parallel to the pedestrianised Queen’s Walk behind the Jubilee Gardens, Southbank Centre, BFI, National Theatre and Bernie Spain Gardens.
The Spine Route upgrade project aims to reimagine and revitalise these streets, particularly Belvedere Road and Upper Ground, by making them friendlier to use for pedestrians and cyclists, and smoothing out the worn paving and roads to give them a much-needed polish!
The upgrading process is taking place in stages with the current phase of works focusing on Concert Hall Approach (the short road that runs alongside the railway arches of Hungerford Bridge, pictured above) and along the stretch of Belvedere Road directly behind the Royal Festival Hall.
Making Southy Bank greener and safer for pedestrians
The project, which began in September 2024, is estimated to take 7 months to complete and will eventually see the pedestrianisation of Concert Hall Approach (as envisioned in the picture above), plus wider pavements along Belvedere Road and the installation of a new pedestrian crossing.
This new look and navigation for these central pedestrian thoroughfares is set to make the area even more accessible for pedestrians of all abilities, and give South Bank visitors even more car-free spaces in which to relax.
Alongside improving pedestrian access, boosting the area’s greenery is another key objective of the Spine Route project. Work is also underway to provide enhanced protection for the many existing trees, while the introduction of new planters and ‘rain gardens’ (a type of Sustainable Drainage System that helps manage rainwater flow from hard surfaces such as roads) will mean that come spring 2025 this corner of South Bank will be looking a whole lot greener too!
While the works are underway the entire area is still accessible and open to pedestrians – albeit with some minor roadworks to navigate around.
If you have mobility needs that require completely smooth paving (such as a wheelchair) you can also access the Royal Festival Hall from the station by following the pedestrian routes through Southbank Place (where the WeWork and Shell buildings are) which will bring you out onto Belvedere Road next to Jubilee Gardens.
Vehicles accessing the Southbank Centre will be filtered through a traffic light behind the Royal Festival Hall while the Belvedere roadworks are underway.
Find more details on the South Bank Spine Route Masterplan here.
