Ridgeway (London)

Sign outside Ridgeway Plumstead lower entrance

The Ridgeway runs ENE/WSW: [5] the western third between Plumstead railway station and The Link community centre in Thamesmead[6] is in the Royal Borough of Greenwich, the remainder of the path towards the Thames Path and Crossness Pumping Station is in the London Borough of Bexley.

A similar path called the Greenway covers the Northern Outfall Sewer.

The Sewers were installed after an outbreak of cholera in 1853 and the "Great Stink" of 1858.[7] [8]

The Greenwich end of the Ridgeway was refurbished in 2010[9][10] and the Bexley end of the Ridgeway was refurbished in 2017.[11][12][13] The Plumstead entrance to the Ridgeway was also refurbished in 2018, with public art work installed by local artist Sam Skinner and Ninth Seal.[14][15]

The Ridgeway is incorporated in to the Thamesmead 5K and family 1 mile runs organised by the Thamesmead running club and Peabody.[16][17]

A petition was created by local users of the Ridgeway for litter bins to be installed along its entire length. The petition was rejected by Greenwich council in January 2018.[18][19][20]

There is a Facebook group [21] and Twitter page [22] for Ridgeway Users.

There is an option to extend the new steam railway planned for South London[23][24][25] from Crossness car park to Plumstead railway station via the Ridgeway.[26][27]

At the western end of the Ridgeway, the housing association Peabody Trust have applied to build 930 homes adjacent to Plumstead bus garage.[28][29] Improvements to existing public spaces around the development will include improvements to pathways that pass the Ridgeway. Proposals have been put forward by the Pharaoh Project to create a 'biodome' within the underpass at Pettman Crescent adjacent to the Plumstead entrance of the Ridgeway.[30][31]

TfL rail proposals

Thamesmead TfL Proposals
DLR, Overground extensions to Thamesmead[32]
Docklands Light Railway Gospel Oak to Barking line Gallions Reach Barking Armada Riverside[33] Barking Riverside or River Thames Thamesmead West[34] Thamesmead Central[35] Thamesmead Moorings[36] Yarnton Way[37] using Ridgeway Plumstead and or Belvedere Woolwich Arsenal or Abbey Wood

In a presentation by TfL to Greenwich Council they proposed an extension to the Gospel Oak to Barking London Overground train service from the new Barking Riverside station to Thamesmead Central and via Plumstead to Woolwich Arsenal that would take a route along the eastern section of the Ridgeway or Belvadere station using the eastern section of the Ridgeway. However, other Overground and DLR options would leave the Ridgeway alone.[38]

The Ridgeway was the subject of a radio show on Resonance FM in 2011.[39] It also features in an app produced by London Borough of Bexley to promote heritage walking trails.

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  Ridgeway upper level looking towards Plumstead and Nathan Road exit. Close to the site of the Manor Ground arena
• 
  Ridgeway under Eastern Way (A2016)
• 
  Ridgeway entrance on the Thames Path
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  Example of arch signs along the route