LEYTONSTONE – BUSINESS LOW EMISSIONS NEIGHBOURHOOD (BLEN)
SCHEME OVERVIEW
The Leytonstone BLEN is focused on the main commercial/ retail town centre area located along Church Lane, High Road Leytonstone and Kirkdale Road. The project aims to reduce exposure to road transport generated pollutants and improve overall air quality through a range of active and sustainable travel infrastructure improvements, traffic management measures that prioritise low and zero emissions transport options, behaviour change initiatives, and increased green infrastructure.
More specifically the objectives are to:
• Reduce emissions from motorised vehicles, leading to improved air quality and public health
• Increase levels of walking and cycling within and around the area
• Increase bus patronage and reliability
• Reduce road traffic collisions and casualties
• Improve the quality and resilience of the public realm
• Increased uptake and vehicle km for low and zero emissions vehicles
• Facilitate more efficient utilisation of kerbside space, with priority on low and zero emission vehicles
• Reduce motorised traffic within the project area while mitigating any impacts on the surrounding roads/ areas.
SCHEME PROPOSALS
Click this link to view the BLEN-Leytonstone-Initial Bid Masterplan (subject to change)
The Leytonstone BLEN will focus on the following proposals:
- Key active travel infrastructure and public realm enhancements including:
a. Extension of the existing Gainsborough Road/ Grove Green Road cycle tracks towards the Green Man roundabout to provide connectivity with current cycle infrastructure in High Road Leytonstone and support journeys to the town centre by bike.
b. Creation of Green Links between the Town Centre and Wanstead Flats to make routes to and from the town centre, from adjacent residential areas, more attractive for walking and cycling. - Intensification of green infrastructure within the BLEN area including Micro-Parklets to re-purpose the kerbside, removing visitor parking capacity while incorporating green infrastructure and features that will encourage visitors to stay longer, supporting local businesses.
- Kerbside activity and servicing study to understand current kerbside use and utilisation, and business servicing activities and requirements. This will include meeting a sample of businesses in the area to discuss their current servicing patterns and requirements in addition to kerbside data collection. This study will be used to inform a number of the other proposals set out in the original bid, and aid in the development of further ideas to minimise vehicle based servicing activity and encourage low emissions alternatives where possible.
- Investigation and scoping study for an Ultra Low Emission Vehicle (ULEV) restriction zone and ULEV priority parking controls in the town centre area. A ULEV restriction zone could make significant improvement regarding motorised vehicle trips and distance driven in the area.
- Increased cycle parking provision within the town centre area through additional on-street visitor parking – with emphasis on providing parking solutions on-carriageway to minimise impact on pedestrians and reduce on-street car parking capacity.
SCHEME PROGRESS
Since early 2020 we have been developing all the above elements of the scheme, which should be delivered by late 2022. Please find more information below:
Micro-Parklets
In late 2020 we started introducing lower scale interventions in Church Lane, which includes the installation of new Micro-Parklets and also replacement of the red and white barriers with more aesthetically pleasing items of street furniture (granite boulders, cycle stands, oil drums with trees and planters). We are currently looking at installing Micro-Parklets in various other areas in High Road Leytonstone.
Green Links - Phase 001
In October 2021, the project team met with the local community in a series of two online Teams meetings to help develop the existing Preliminary Design; and to collaborate on planting specifications and future maintenance.
Green Links - Phase 001 - Statutory Consultation
In November 2021, the project team arranged two “Green Walks” with the local community to help understand local concerns and aspirations; and to assist with further development of the scheme.
Waltham Forest Council and What If architects have now completed the detailed design stage for the Green Links schemes, which can be accessed by clicking this link Green Links-Detailed Design.
Following recent scheme development and community engagement, Waltham Forest Council has now completed the Statutory Consultation stage for the Green Links schemes. Overall, feedback was largely positive. Thank you to everyone who took the time to respond, and who participated in the previous meetings and site walks.
The Green Links schemes will now progress to the construction phase, with the highway works starting in early March 2022. Construction will take place in phases, with multiple sites being built at the same time. The landscaping and planting phases will follow and take place at various times according to the type of species being planted and their associated planting season.
Further construction information will be posted to all properties in the near vicinity of the construction work prior to commencement.
Green Links – Davies Lane
In early 2022, we received further funding from the GLA to expand the Green Links scheme and develop proposals in the vicinity of Davies Lane. The proposals will be similar to the current Green Links scheme outlined above and will help us achieve the BLEN objectives of improving air quality by introducing the following elements if feasible:
- Innovative Green Links wayfinding / biodiversity information points / public art installations.
- Public realm improvements combining planting, natural materials, permeable surfaces, and Pocket Parks.
- Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems (SuDS) installations.
- Comprehensive landscape, planting and biodiversity improvements.
- Tree planting.
In July/August 2022 the design team has prepared some initial outline concepts focusing on opportunity areas, key public realm areas, gateways and wayfinding initiatives, which can be accessed by clicking this link Green Links – Phase001 - Davies Lane - Overview
To help develop the proposals further, in July 2022, we arranged a community Walkabout in Davies Lane and Mornington Road with local residents to discuss the initial ideas, identify any further areas we could explore, and to understand whether and what scope there is within the community to help look after any new planting in the longer term.
We also have been liaising with the Davies Lane school and have conducted a fun desktop exercise with the pupils, who have helped to develop the scheme with their ideas. We also arranged a Walkabout with the pupils in July 2022.
We have completed the detailed design stage and will now be proceeding to the statutory consultation stage and would like to get your feedback on the final scheme design.
Green Links – Davies Lane – Statutory Consultation
The next stage of the scheme is to undertake a Statutory Consultation on the associated Traffic Management Order changes (parking bays and yellow lines) needed to deliver the scheme. Statutory Consultation will start on 24 November 2022 and will last for 21 days. In addition to this leaflet, street notices will be displayed in the area with details of the Statutory Consultation.
The specific drawings showing the proposals and parking changes can be accessed in the link below:
Davies Lane detailed design plans
If you would like to send any comments, please contact the Enjoy Waltham Forest Team quoting “Green Links-Davies Lane-Comments” in the subject line of the email or letter; and send it to the email address or postal address below before 15 December 2022 (please include your name and address):
Email Address:
Postal Address:
Traffic Orders (Wadley Road), Highways, Low Hall, Argall Avenue, London, E10 7AS
If you would like hard copies of any of the drawings, please contact us using the details above, or phone:
020 8496 3000
Following Statutory Consultation, we will analyse the feedback received and include any further suggestions if feasible. We will then write to residents again setting out the next steps.
High Road Leytonstone Cycleway Improvements
As part of the BLEN scheme, we are proposing to introduce improved cycle infrastructure on High Road Leytonstone between Gainsborough Road and Bush Road. This will provide a better link from the town centre to Bush Road and the existing off-road walking and cycling network at the Green Man roundabout, in turn providing better access to Whipps Cross and Redbridge for people cycling.
We have identified a number of improvements that need to take place along the cycle route to address key issues and barriers and ensure it is as safe, accessible and continuous as possible. These include junction improvements, sections of segregated cycle track and public space improvements.
The scheme will aim to implement the improvements shown on the map in this link.
Statutory Consultation was undertaken in February/March 2022 and has now concluded.
We have now analysed the Statutory Consultation responses and included suggestions if feasible. We will now aim to commence construction in Autumn 2022 and we will notify all addresses in the vicinity of the construction works before it starts.
Adopt a Rain Garden
We are inviting residents to help take care of the planters in your area so that the plants grow nicely, particularly during the summer months when there is generally less rain.
By adopting a planter, you’ll be responsible for:
- maintaining the plants, such as watering, picking out any dead leaves or twigs, and removing any litter
- checking-up on the planters regularly and reporting any issues or damage to the council.
Planter locations:
- Barclay Road/Stanmore Road
- Leybourne Road/Stanmore Road
- Leybourne Road/Woodville Road
- Leybourne Road/Bushwood
- Woodville Road/Bushwood
If you are able to help please email enjoy@walthamforest.gov.uk to register your interest, with the following information:
- your name and address
- preferred contact details
- which planter(s) you’d like to adopt
GET IN TOUCH
If you have any questions relating to Enjoy Waltham Forest, do get in touch.
Email – enjoy@walthamforest.gov.uk
Write to – Enjoy Waltham Forest Team, Waltham Forest Council, Low Hall Argall Avenue, London, E10 7AS
Phone – 020 8496 3000. Monday to Friday 9am–5pm
