Under the Waterloo station lies a legal graffiti paradise. The tunnel is constantly changing – a street art museum with no admission fee and a neon character.
Leake Street affectionately known as the Banksy Tunnel is a 300-metre-long road tunnel tucked beneath the platforms of Waterloo Station in Lambeth, London. Once a forgotten passageway, it has transformed into one of the city’s most vibrant and ever-changing canvases for street art. What sets it apart? Graffiti here is not only legal it’s actively encouraged, making it one of the few places in the UK where artists can paint freely without fear of prosecution.
The tunnel’s metamorphosis began in May 2008, when the elusive street artist Banksy hosted the now-legendary Cans Festival, inviting artists from around the world to turn the tunnel’s grimy walls into a riot of color and creativity. A second wave of artistic expression followed during the August Bank Holiday that same year, cementing Leake Street’s status as a cultural landmark.
Originally known as York Street until the 1920s, the tunnel once served as a vehicular route when the Eurostar terminal operated at Waterloo. However, after ownership transferred to Network Rail in November 2008, it was closed to cars and opened exclusively to pedestrians.
Today, Leake Street is more than a tunnel it’s a living, breathing gallery where no two visits are ever the same. New layers of paint appear daily, making it a must-see for anyone seeking London’s raw, rebellious creative spirit.
