Whipps Cross Corridor: Linking Lea Bridge Road to Leytonstone

Whipps Cross Road plays an important role in our borough’s transport network, linking Lea Bridge Road and Wood Street with Leytonstone and Redbridge, and providing access to key locations like Whipps Cross University Hospital and Hollow Ponds in Epping Forest. We want to make sure that Whipps Cross Road is safe and works well for all road users, particularly those using active and sustainable modes of travel. This will help improve access to key amenities such as Epping Forest and will support the future redevelopment of Whipps Cross Hospital.

In 2024 we proposed a range of improvements to address issues and concerns around motor traffic dominance, safety and speeding. These included reducing the width of the road and increasing the amount of space for walking and cycling, introducing new and safer crossing points, and improving the way the area looks and feels by increasing trees and greenery to make it a more enjoyable place to travel through.

We also proposed to create two separate paths for walking and cycling on the northern (Hollow Ponds) side of Whipps Cross Road. The current shared use path was introduced in 2012 and is regularly used by people walking and cycling. We want to upgrade it to provide dedicated spaces for people walking and cycling, so that it is consistent with other routes in the borough including Lea Bridge Road and the routes under the Green Man Roundabout. We proposed this to improve safety, make it easier for everyone to move through the area and to encourage more people to travel actively and sustainably where they can.

Proposals

The video below shows what we are proposing for the area.


The proposals included:

  • Upgrade the shared path on Whipps Cross Road between Lea Bridge Road and the Green Man Roundabout by replacing it with separated pedestrian and cycle paths.
  • Improve some side road junctions and accesses by introducing continuous footways at the entrances to the Hollow Pond Boat House car park and the Leyton Flats car park to signal to drivers that pedestrians and cyclists have right of way and to provide a smoother, uninterrupted path for those walking and cycling.
  • Upgrade the current pedestrian and cycle crossing at the Whipps Cross University Hospital entrance at Hospital Road to a full traffic signal junction. The new traffic signal junction will have green man pedestrian crossing points on all arms and include a traffic light phase for people cycling to get from the cycle track into Hospital Road.
  • Upgrade the traffic signal junction where James Lane exits onto Whipps Cross Road by adding a traffic light phase for pedestrians on both James Lane and Whipps Cross Road.
  • Upgrade the current crossings at Forest Glade and one near Green Man Roundabout to provide separate space and traffic light phases for people walking and cycling.
  • Introduce a new traffic signal crossing by Preston Road. Similar to the upgraded crossings at Forest Glade and near Green Man Roundabout, the crossing will have separate space and phases for people walking and cycling.
  • Install new bat-friendly lighting. Bats can be sensitive to light which can disrupt their feeding, mating, and migration patterns. The new lighting will reduce these disruptions while still providing visibility for people.
  • Introduce planting with modified soil types to enhance water absorption and improve drainage.
  • Plant greening and around 45 new trees along the route. Although we have worked hard to minimise tree loss, we will need to remove up to 15 small trees. However, we are replacing these and proposing to plant more, resulting in a biodiversity net gain.
  • Introduce a traffic calming table near the entrance to the Lakeside Whipps Cross Diner and The Log Cabin to reduce vehicle speeds and make it easier to access the car park.
  • There are no changes to parking along the route and the new cycle path does not encroach on City of London land on the Hollow Ponds side.

If you would like more information about these changes, please see the plans in the 'Documents' section or read the FAQs on the panel on the right side of the page.

What you told us

Public consultation on the proposals took place from 21 October to 18 November 2024, offering local people a range of ways to get involved. People shared their views through an online survey, attending a drop-in session at Leytonstone School on 9 November, and providing feedback via email. All responses were carefully reviewed and considered. A total of 630 respondents answered the online survey. The results are below.

How we used your feedback

When deciding whether to progress with the scheme we considered the consultation results alongside traffic data from the area and our overall objectives to improve air quality and public health and address the climate crises.

Given the positive feedback from the community and the clear need to make Whipps Cross Road safer and more accessible for its users, a decision was made to progress the scheme.

A list of some of the key issues raised and how we are addressing these are below.

Issue raised
How we are addressing it
Concern about pedestrian path positioned closest to the road
We have investigated both options for the location of the cycle path along with the impact of having the pedestrian path closest to the road. While we know it is unconventional for the cycle path to be located to the rear of a footway, this is a relatively unique location and we have determined this to be the preferred option as it reduces the overall number of locations where pedestrians have to cross the cycle path to access crossings and bus stops. Access to the main paths in the forest will be maintained and, where possible, verges will be provided to separate the pedestrian path from the road.
Concern the proposals could cause increased congestion
This is one of the key factors we assess when developing plans for our major corridors. As part of the scheme design phase we have been working with Transport for London (TfL) to model the impact of the changes, and are in the final stages of this process. Introducing changes such as new traffic signals can have significant benefits for all road users but can also lead to some increase in journey time for buses and general traffic. We work closely with TfL to make sure that any impact on the network is acceptable and is outweighed by the benefits. We expect to complete the modelling process in early 2026.
Request to ensure the paths are clearly defined and wide enough to accommodate all users
Signage, kerbs and line markings will separate the pedestrian and cycle paths. The paths are as wide as they can be, given the space available between the forest (City of London land) and the road. The average width of the pedestrian path is 2.4 metres, and the cycle path is 2.9 metres, which exceed the minimum requirements.
Concern about the narrowing of the road
While the road is being narrowed slightly, it still aligns with the current guidance for lane widths and the approach we have used elsewhere in the borough. The existing three-lane capacity at Hospital Road, James Lane and the Green Man interchange will remain in place.
Concern the scheme does not consider motorists
For decades our streets were designed to prioritise motorists, we are now addressing this imbalance by reducing the impact of motor traffic where possible and by introducing walking and cycling infrastructure so people can choose how they get around.
Concern about cyclist behaviour
The behaviour of individual cyclists is a difficult issue to address and something we need to continue working on. We run a large behaviour change programme, and to date, we have trained more than 30,000 residents within the borough, representing 10% of the borough’s population, with a large proportion of these being school children to ensure people know their responsibilities as cyclists from a young age. Additionally, with separate walking and cycling paths, there should be less conflict between those walking and cycling.

It also must be remembered that motorised traffic remains, by far, the biggest danger to all other road users and our efforts must be focused on encouraging and enabling people to use other modes of travel so that we can reduce the number of vehicles on our roads and reduce the associated risk.
Concern about cost
This scheme will be delivered predominantly with funding provided by Transport for London which has been dedicated for active travel schemes.
Request for cycling improvements on the southern arm of James Lane
We were unable to provide a dedicated cycling crossing for the southern arm of James Lane. An additional set of signals at this location would have had a detrimental impact on network performance. We are exploring the feasibility of some ‘light touch’ options at the locations to improve cycling connectivity.
Request for a dropped kerb at the Hainault Court bus stop to facilitate cyclists turning from Lea Bridge Road to Whipps Cross Road
This will be addressed in an upcoming scheme on Lea Bridge Road.


Next steps

We are planning to start constructing the first phase of the scheme in early 2026. The first phase is broadly between the Green Man Roundabout and Preston Road, where the southbound bus lane operates. This first section has no new traffic signals and therefore in agreement with TfL is not subject to traffic modelling. Once this phase is complete and the modelling finalised and approved, we will continue on to the next phases of the scheme.

We will write to you in the New Year with more information closer to the start date.


Enjoy Waltham Forest's aim

Enjoy Waltham Forest’s aim is to create a greener, healthier future, as set out in our Borough Missions and Climate Action Plan. By 2030, we are aiming to be net zero, 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.

To achieve this, we are making sure our infrastructure is fit for purpose, to make active travel safer and more convenient for everyone. We have already built 56 kilometres of cycle lanes, installed more than 1000 bike hangars, created more than 200 continuous footways, and introduced or upgraded more than 70 formal crossings.

These efforts are having a significant impact, with the borough’s Cycle Counter Network recording a 56% increase in cycle journeys between 2017 and 2023, and data from the Department of Transport showing a 6% reduction in the number of licensed vehicles between 2017 and 2022. Encouraging active travel not only helps us address the climate crisis but also boosts public health.

Research shows 42% of adult residents in Waltham Forest do more than 20 minutes of exercise daily, making us the second most active borough in outer London. Regular exercise reduces the risk of major illnesses like heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, and cancer, and can lower the risk of early death by up to 30%. By continuing to invest in these changes, we are creating a cleaner, healthier, and more connected Waltham Forest for everyone.

Whipps Cross Road plays an important role in our borough’s transport network, linking Lea Bridge Road and Wood Street with Leytonstone and Redbridge, and providing access to key locations like Whipps Cross University Hospital and Hollow Ponds in Epping Forest. We want to make sure that Whipps Cross Road is safe and works well for all road users, particularly those using active and sustainable modes of travel. This will help improve access to key amenities such as Epping Forest and will support the future redevelopment of Whipps Cross Hospital.

In 2024 we proposed a range of improvements to address issues and concerns around motor traffic dominance, safety and speeding. These included reducing the width of the road and increasing the amount of space for walking and cycling, introducing new and safer crossing points, and improving the way the area looks and feels by increasing trees and greenery to make it a more enjoyable place to travel through.

We also proposed to create two separate paths for walking and cycling on the northern (Hollow Ponds) side of Whipps Cross Road. The current shared use path was introduced in 2012 and is regularly used by people walking and cycling. We want to upgrade it to provide dedicated spaces for people walking and cycling, so that it is consistent with other routes in the borough including Lea Bridge Road and the routes under the Green Man Roundabout. We proposed this to improve safety, make it easier for everyone to move through the area and to encourage more people to travel actively and sustainably where they can.

Proposals

The video below shows what we are proposing for the area.


The proposals included:

  • Upgrade the shared path on Whipps Cross Road between Lea Bridge Road and the Green Man Roundabout by replacing it with separated pedestrian and cycle paths.
  • Improve some side road junctions and accesses by introducing continuous footways at the entrances to the Hollow Pond Boat House car park and the Leyton Flats car park to signal to drivers that pedestrians and cyclists have right of way and to provide a smoother, uninterrupted path for those walking and cycling.
  • Upgrade the current pedestrian and cycle crossing at the Whipps Cross University Hospital entrance at Hospital Road to a full traffic signal junction. The new traffic signal junction will have green man pedestrian crossing points on all arms and include a traffic light phase for people cycling to get from the cycle track into Hospital Road.
  • Upgrade the traffic signal junction where James Lane exits onto Whipps Cross Road by adding a traffic light phase for pedestrians on both James Lane and Whipps Cross Road.
  • Upgrade the current crossings at Forest Glade and one near Green Man Roundabout to provide separate space and traffic light phases for people walking and cycling.
  • Introduce a new traffic signal crossing by Preston Road. Similar to the upgraded crossings at Forest Glade and near Green Man Roundabout, the crossing will have separate space and phases for people walking and cycling.
  • Install new bat-friendly lighting. Bats can be sensitive to light which can disrupt their feeding, mating, and migration patterns. The new lighting will reduce these disruptions while still providing visibility for people.
  • Introduce planting with modified soil types to enhance water absorption and improve drainage.
  • Plant greening and around 45 new trees along the route. Although we have worked hard to minimise tree loss, we will need to remove up to 15 small trees. However, we are replacing these and proposing to plant more, resulting in a biodiversity net gain.
  • Introduce a traffic calming table near the entrance to the Lakeside Whipps Cross Diner and The Log Cabin to reduce vehicle speeds and make it easier to access the car park.
  • There are no changes to parking along the route and the new cycle path does not encroach on City of London land on the Hollow Ponds side.

If you would like more information about these changes, please see the plans in the 'Documents' section or read the FAQs on the panel on the right side of the page.

What you told us

Public consultation on the proposals took place from 21 October to 18 November 2024, offering local people a range of ways to get involved. People shared their views through an online survey, attending a drop-in session at Leytonstone School on 9 November, and providing feedback via email. All responses were carefully reviewed and considered. A total of 630 respondents answered the online survey. The results are below.

How we used your feedback

When deciding whether to progress with the scheme we considered the consultation results alongside traffic data from the area and our overall objectives to improve air quality and public health and address the climate crises.

Given the positive feedback from the community and the clear need to make Whipps Cross Road safer and more accessible for its users, a decision was made to progress the scheme.

A list of some of the key issues raised and how we are addressing these are below.

Issue raised
How we are addressing it
Concern about pedestrian path positioned closest to the road
We have investigated both options for the location of the cycle path along with the impact of having the pedestrian path closest to the road. While we know it is unconventional for the cycle path to be located to the rear of a footway, this is a relatively unique location and we have determined this to be the preferred option as it reduces the overall number of locations where pedestrians have to cross the cycle path to access crossings and bus stops. Access to the main paths in the forest will be maintained and, where possible, verges will be provided to separate the pedestrian path from the road.
Concern the proposals could cause increased congestion
This is one of the key factors we assess when developing plans for our major corridors. As part of the scheme design phase we have been working with Transport for London (TfL) to model the impact of the changes, and are in the final stages of this process. Introducing changes such as new traffic signals can have significant benefits for all road users but can also lead to some increase in journey time for buses and general traffic. We work closely with TfL to make sure that any impact on the network is acceptable and is outweighed by the benefits. We expect to complete the modelling process in early 2026.
Request to ensure the paths are clearly defined and wide enough to accommodate all users
Signage, kerbs and line markings will separate the pedestrian and cycle paths. The paths are as wide as they can be, given the space available between the forest (City of London land) and the road. The average width of the pedestrian path is 2.4 metres, and the cycle path is 2.9 metres, which exceed the minimum requirements.
Concern about the narrowing of the road
While the road is being narrowed slightly, it still aligns with the current guidance for lane widths and the approach we have used elsewhere in the borough. The existing three-lane capacity at Hospital Road, James Lane and the Green Man interchange will remain in place.
Concern the scheme does not consider motorists
For decades our streets were designed to prioritise motorists, we are now addressing this imbalance by reducing the impact of motor traffic where possible and by introducing walking and cycling infrastructure so people can choose how they get around.
Concern about cyclist behaviour
The behaviour of individual cyclists is a difficult issue to address and something we need to continue working on. We run a large behaviour change programme, and to date, we have trained more than 30,000 residents within the borough, representing 10% of the borough’s population, with a large proportion of these being school children to ensure people know their responsibilities as cyclists from a young age. Additionally, with separate walking and cycling paths, there should be less conflict between those walking and cycling.

It also must be remembered that motorised traffic remains, by far, the biggest danger to all other road users and our efforts must be focused on encouraging and enabling people to use other modes of travel so that we can reduce the number of vehicles on our roads and reduce the associated risk.
Concern about cost
This scheme will be delivered predominantly with funding provided by Transport for London which has been dedicated for active travel schemes.
Request for cycling improvements on the southern arm of James Lane
We were unable to provide a dedicated cycling crossing for the southern arm of James Lane. An additional set of signals at this location would have had a detrimental impact on network performance. We are exploring the feasibility of some ‘light touch’ options at the locations to improve cycling connectivity.
Request for a dropped kerb at the Hainault Court bus stop to facilitate cyclists turning from Lea Bridge Road to Whipps Cross Road
This will be addressed in an upcoming scheme on Lea Bridge Road.


Next steps

We are planning to start constructing the first phase of the scheme in early 2026. The first phase is broadly between the Green Man Roundabout and Preston Road, where the southbound bus lane operates. This first section has no new traffic signals and therefore in agreement with TfL is not subject to traffic modelling. Once this phase is complete and the modelling finalised and approved, we will continue on to the next phases of the scheme.

We will write to you in the New Year with more information closer to the start date.


Enjoy Waltham Forest's aim

Enjoy Waltham Forest’s aim is to create a greener, healthier future, as set out in our Borough Missions and Climate Action Plan. By 2030, we are aiming to be net zero, 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.

To achieve this, we are making sure our infrastructure is fit for purpose, to make active travel safer and more convenient for everyone. We have already built 56 kilometres of cycle lanes, installed more than 1000 bike hangars, created more than 200 continuous footways, and introduced or upgraded more than 70 formal crossings.

These efforts are having a significant impact, with the borough’s Cycle Counter Network recording a 56% increase in cycle journeys between 2017 and 2023, and data from the Department of Transport showing a 6% reduction in the number of licensed vehicles between 2017 and 2022. Encouraging active travel not only helps us address the climate crisis but also boosts public health.

Research shows 42% of adult residents in Waltham Forest do more than 20 minutes of exercise daily, making us the second most active borough in outer London. Regular exercise reduces the risk of major illnesses like heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, and cancer, and can lower the risk of early death by up to 30%. By continuing to invest in these changes, we are creating a cleaner, healthier, and more connected Waltham Forest for everyone.

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