Leytonstone News

Council proposes separate cycling path on Whipps Cross Road

An online consultation on the plans, which also include new traffic light crossings and a speed table, is running until 18th November

Visualisation of proposals on Whipps Cross Road near James Lane, Credit: Waltham Forest Council

Waltham Forest Council is consulting on the creation of a separate cycling path along Whipps Cross Road.

Since 2012 there has been a shared-use pedestrian path running from Green Man Roundabout to Lea Bridge. The council has said it is now looking to create two separate paths: one for pedestrians and one for cyclists.

An online survey on the proposal is running until 18th November. It takes roughly five minutes to complete.

In addition to the separate cycle path, the council says it is looking to “address issues around motor traffic dominance”, by introducing “safer” crossing points, and limiting speeding.

These safer crossing points include the upgrade of the current pedestrian and cycle crossing at the Hospital Road entrance to Whipps Cross to a full traffic signal junction. This new junction will include a traffic light phase for people cycling from the cycle track into Hospital Road. 

A visualisation of the proposal, Credit: Waltham Forest Council

A further upgrade to current crossings at Forest Glade and one near Green Man Roundabout is proposed in order to provide separate space and traffic light phases for people walking and cycling.

The council also plans to 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.


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No changes to parking along the route are proposed. In addition to the traffic plans, the council is also consulting on new bat-friendly lighting, which will “reduce disruption” to feeding, mating, and migration patterns for bats in the area.

Also proposed is the planting of around 45 new trees along the route, though there will still be a need to remove and replace “up to 15 small trees” for works, the council says.

The consultation comes as Waltham Forest aims to be carbon net zero by 2030, with 80% of journeys in Waltham Forest being made by walking, cycling, or public transport then.

The current shared use path on Whipps Cross Road, Credit: Google Streetview

Council monitoring shows that around 20,000 vehicles use Whipps Cross Road every day, including 16 peak-time buses per hour on route 257. Between October 2017 and October 2023, there were 32 road traffic collisions and 39 casualties, three of them being serious. 

Since 2014, the council has built 56 kilometres of cycle lanes, installed 765 bike hangars, created more than 200 continuous footways, and introduced or upgraded over 70 formal crossings. 

According to the Waltham Forest’s Cycle Counter Network, there has been a 56% increase in cycle journeys between 2017 and 2023.

Find out more and participate in the survey here 

You can email [email protected] or call 02084965221 to request a hardcopy survey, which is also available at Leytonstone Library

On 9th November from 2pm to 5pm, there will be a drop-in Q&A session at the Main Hall at Leytonstone School


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