Active travel corridor in Waltham Forest to complement hospital rebuild plan

The proposed Whipps Cross Corridor would separate cycling and walking routes

Waltham Forest Council has unveiled its vision for a new cycling and walking corridor to complement plans to rebuild Whipps Cross Hospital along with 1,500 new homes and a community health building, and public spaces.

The new corridor would replace the existing shared use walking and cycling path on between Lea Bridge Road and the Green Man Roundabout, which runs alongside Epping Forest.

As well as the separated pedestrian and cycle paths, continuous footways would be installed at some side road junctions and upgraded pedestrian and cycle crossings. 

New lighting would be installed that does not disrupt the feeding, mating, and migration patterns of bats in the area. The new lighting will reduce these disruptions while still providing visibility for people, said the council.

There are also plans for planting with modified soil types to enhance water absorption and improve drainage, and planting around 45 new trees along the route, although up to 15 existing small trees would be removed.

According to monitoring by the council, around 20,000 motor vehicles use Whipps Cross Road each day, including 16 buses per hour on route 257 during peak times. Between October 2017 and October 2023, there were 32 road traffic collisions resulting in 39 casualties, of which three were classified as serious, said the council.

As well as upgrading the cycle path, the project would address issues around motor traffic dominance, safety and speeding, introducing safer crossing points, and improving the way the area looks and feels by increasing trees and greenery, said the council.

The council’s Borough Missions and Climate Action Plan is aiming to be net zero by 2030, with 80% of journeys in Waltham Forest being made by walking, cycling, or public transport, well ahead of the Mayor of London’s 2041 targets.

There are already 56 kilometres of cycle lanes, 765 bike hangars, more than 200 continuous footways, and over 70 new or upgraded formal crossings, said the council.

The council is conducting an online survey, which runs until 18 November: https://tinyurl.com/bdh4v8mk

Clyde Loakes, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Climate and Air Quality, told LTT: “The redevelopment of Whipps Cross Road is in-line with our ongoing commitment to improving active travel infrastructure in Waltham Forest, and a response to long-term safety concerns from residents and local businesses regarding its current shared path design and the incidence of motor traffic collisions along the corridor.

“Transport route improvements in Waltham Forest are prioritised according to a wide range of factors including Strategic Borough and TfL data, local stakeholder and council regeneration ambitions, funding availability, and value for money.”

LTT asked Cllr Loakes how much the new corridor would cost to build, how it would be funded and the timescale for its construction. He replied: “Depending on the outcome of the public consultation, funding will be sought initially from Transport for London and developer contributions. Like many of our schemes the various distinct components and sections of the proposed scheme could be built and delivered over time.

“Depending on the available funding we are hopeful we can commence works in summer/autumn 2025 and in an ideal world complete the scheme by the end of 2026.”