The new centre is located Camden is close to three main railway stations (King’s Cross, St Pancras and Euston), as well as six London Underground lines and London Overground.
Moving to this area will bring Moorfields and the UCL Institute of Ophthalmology closer to important health and research partners including the Bloomsbury campus of UCL, the Francis Crick Institute, University College London Hospital, Great Ormond Street Hospital, and the Wellcome Trust. Voluntary sector and charity partners, including the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) and Guide Dogs, are also nearby.
The centre will join Camden’s Knowledge Quarter, an internationally renowned hub for organisations within a one-mile radius of King’s Cross that are actively engaged in science and innovation.
Wayfinding
We understand there are concerns about how people will make the last part of their journey to the new centre from public transport hubs. In response, Moorfields has made a commitment to lead the work to support transport and access. Inspired by a quote from a patient, we call this work the ‘last half mile’.
We are committed to providing a comprehensive and robust strategy which includes traditional wayfinding methods and evolving technology to help with orientation and navigation.
Comprehensive information will be provided about route options to the centre so patients are able to plan a route and method of travel that is most convenient or accessible to them. Information about travel options is included below.
In the summer of 2020, Buro Happold undertook audits of pedestrian routes from the six stations in scope (King’s Cross Station, St Pancras Stations, Euston Station, Mornington Crescent Station, Camden Road Station, Camden Town Station). These audits revealed that routes from some stations were shown to be too complex to navigate easily for people with sight conditions or are too long for some people to walk.
Following these comprehensive audits, a primary ‘green line’ route will be generally recommended for first visits and proposed as the most suitable route for anyone with concerns about finding their way to the centre. User engagement has confirmed that the low-tech solution of a durable, weather-resistant painted green line is robust. The intention is to start the green line between King’s Cross station St Pancras Station onto Midland Road. This line would then continue to the entrance of the new centre.
As the wayfinding strategy develops for the last half mile, we will review the potential public transport options and what further solutions may be needed to support patients and staff ahead of the new centre opening in 2027.
Proposed green line route
video transcript
In the summer of 2024, a wayfinding coalition comprising patients and sight loss partners was established to help shape our external wayfinding strategy. This strategy was submitted to Camden Council in October 2024. Moorfields will continue to work with Camden and transport providers to refine the strategy and support people to travel to the centre safely and easily.
Directions
Trains
The new centre is located Camden is close to three main railway stations (King’s Cross, St Pancras and Euston), as well as six London Underground lines and London Overground.
Mornington Crescent Station, Camden Road Station and Camden Town Station are all near the new centre.
The map shows the site and its proximity to nearby public transport options.
- King’s Cross St Pancras station is 900m from the site (an average walking time of 13 minutes).
- Euston station is 2kms from the site (an average walking time of 17 minutes).
- Euston Square station is 2.4kms from the site (an average walking time of 23 minutes).
- Mornington Crescent station is 550m from the site (an average walking time of 9 minutes).
- Camden Town station is 1.1km from the site (an average walking time of 15 minutes).
- Camden Road station is 850m from the site (an average walking time of 12 minutes).
Image: Map of new location in proximity to nearby train stations
Buses
The site is currently served by two bus routes: 214 – Finsbury to Highgate and 46 – Bayswater to St Bartholomew’s Hospital, Farringdon.
- 214 – Finsbury to Highgate (bus stops are approximately 250m from the new location): this route runs close to King’s Cross / St Pancras Station and enables passengers to alight in Crowndale Road, very close to the site
- 46 – Bayswater to St Bartholomew’s Hospital, Farringdon (bus stops are 350-450m from the new location): northbound access to the route is not as convenient adjoining the site. Southbound, the location of stops unfortunately does not assist potential passengers alighting from either of the Camden Stations.
Car and taxi
We anticipate that most patients will use public transport for the main part of their journey, often making the final part of their journey on foot; improved wayfinding and street enhancements are proposed. There will be vehicular drop off points close to the centre for people travelling by car:
- St Pancras Way: an extended layby for NHS patient transport services, taxi and private transport drop-off in close proximity to the A&E services on the lower ground floor.
- Granary Street: a further drop off point is proposed here, for convenient access to the north entrance where patients will enter at upper ground (reception) level.
Like many new central London sites, and consistent with Camden Council policy, parking will not be available.
Cycling
There is a cycle highway serving central London and it is also understood that the London Borough of Camden has an aspiration to complete the cycle lane on St Pancras Way, potentially by reducing the carriageway to a single lane.
The new centre will have public spaces for people to lock bikes and dedicated secure bike storage for staff. In addition to cycle parking, there are two cycle docking stations within a short walk of the site, one on Royal College Street outside the Royal Veterinary College and one on Pancras Road outside St Pancras international station.