The proposals include fully segregated, stepped cycle tracks on both sides of Chingford Road as well as new planting and pedestrian crossings, reports Marco Marcelline

Visualisation of proposed improvements on Chingford Road near Knebworth Road, Credit: Waltham Forest Council

Waltham Forest Council is currently consulting on a range of improvements along Chingford Road, between Crooked Billet Roundabout and Forest Road.

The consultation is running until Monday 24th November.

The improvement scheme is billed to “improve walking and cycling facilities, help increase bus reliability, and introduce new and improved public spaces”.

The proposals under consultation include fully segregated, stepped cycle tracks on both sides of Chingford Road connecting Crooked Billet Roundabout to Farnan Avenue.

Also proposed are bus priority measures to enable buses, including Superloop services, “to run smoothly and reduce delays”. These measures include removal of parking between number nine and 31 Chingford Road, including no loading restrictions on Monday to Friday from 7am to 7pm on double yellow lines.

All existing single yellow lines will be changed to double yellows along Chingford Road from the Crooked Billet Roundabout to Farnan Avenue, and between nine and 31 Chingford Road.

The council says these specific improvements will “make bus journeys faster and means buses won’t get stuck behind vehicles loading and unloading at peak times”.

Included in the plans are the upgrading of existing pedestrian crossings, and a new toucan crossing near Penrhyn Crescent, and a signalised parallel (pedestrian and cycle crossing) near Cazenove Road, in addition to a new signalised parallel crossing near Eversham Avenue, and lastly a parallel crossing near Chandos Avenue.

The council is also proposing pocket parks and planting to increase greening on the corner of Chingford Road and Farnan Avenue.

To make space for these proposals, there will be a net loss of 28 parking bays from Chingford Road. The largest changes would be 21 bays removed outside Sir George Monoux College and twelve bays added opposite the college, and ten bays removed outside 9 Chingford Road and 31 Chingford Road.

Justifying the net loss, the council pointed to its parking stress surveys which indicate that the average utilisation of parking bays is “around 60%” along Chingford Road. It also claimed there was “sufficient capacity” on the surrounding streets to accommodate the removal of parking.

Three trees, one each outside 203 and 271 Chingford Road respectively and another at the junction of Chingford Road and Farnan Avenue will be felled.

However, the council states there will nonetheless be a “net gain” in greening due to the large amount of planting proposed along the road.

There will be a drop-in session at Walthamstow Library on Saturday 15th November from 1pm to 3.30pm where residents can speak to members of the team delivering the project.

If you would like more information about these changes go here, and participate in the survey here

No news is bad news

Independent news outlets like ours – reporting for the community without rich backers – are under threat of closure, turning British towns into news deserts.

The audiences they serve know less, understand less, and can do less.

If our coverage has helped you understand our community a little bit better, please consider supporting us with a monthly, yearly or one-off donation.

Choose the news. Don’t lose the news.

Monthly direct debit

Annual direct debit

£5 per month supporters get a digital copy of each month’s paper before anyone else, £10 per month supporters get a digital copy of each month’s paper before anyone else and a print copy posted to them each month. £50 annual supporters get a digital copy of each month's paper before anyone else.