Hoe Street

Bus priority improvements - Hoe Street, First Avenue to Orford Road

We have upcoming improvements being introduced along Hoe Street in Walthamstow.

Waltham Forest Council has received a number of complaints from Transport for London’s bus service, businesses and local residents about vehicles parking along Hoe Street both during and outside of permitted times. These parked vehicles have been causing an obstruction of the road, making it difficult for buses and larger vehicles to pass safely.

These obstructions have a major impact on bus services and passenger journey times, emergency vehicle response times and refuse collections which are essential services for our residents and businesses. They can also lead to excessive air pollution from added congestion in the area.

To resolve these problems we are planning to make the following changes to Hoe Street between First Avenue and Orford Road:

• Convert the yellow lines (current waiting and loading restrictions) along Hoe Street, from its junction with Orford Road to First Avenue, to double yellow line with no waiting or loading “At Any Time” restriction
• Introduce dedicated 24 hour “Loading Only” bays on Hoe Street and adjoining roads
• Reallocate some of the existing parking spaces in nearby side roads, including First Avenue, Second Avenue, Third Avenue, Priory Avenue, Cedars Road and Abbotts Road to provide a better balance between free short stay, pay-by-phone and Loading Only bays in these roads
• There will be no impact on resident permit bays and overall we will be providing six more places for dedicated business loading and servicing activities in the area
• Introduce north and southbound segregated cycle tracks from First Avenue to Orford Road to link with the newly constructed cycle tracks on Hoe Street between St Mary Road and First Avenue
• Widen the carriageway at the northbound  bus stop “L-Queens Road” to allow vehicles to pass safely;
• Upgrade and modernise the street lighting to make the town centre feel safer at night
• Widen and resurface the footways using materials that create a high quality look and feel, and that complement the material used elsewhere in the town centre.

We are also currently investigating options for the Orford Road/Queens Road/Hoe Street junction to improve pedestrian and cycle links to Walthamstow Village and Walthamstow Town Centre whilst also improving priority for buses. Once proposals for this junction are further developed we will write to residents and businesses explaining the proposed changes.

Overall, these changes are designed to improve the local streetscape, reduce bus journey times and reduce congestion and improve conditions for walking and cycling on one of the boroughs most important transport routes.

What happens next?

The Council will be advertising the necessary Traffic Management Order (TMO) changes and publicising these in Waltham Forest News, London Gazette and notices on-street on 9^th March 2019 in accordance with legal requirements.

Throughout March 2019 the Council will be continuing footway improvement works on the western side of Hoe Street between Priory Avenue and Queens Road. These works will not involve any changes to the layout of the road or the current parking, waiting and loading restrictions. However, during these works some temporary traffic management measures and parking/loading suspensions may be necessary to safely complete the works, these will be publicised in advance on-street.

Walthamstow Gyratory

A transport network that is fit for the future

Walthamstow is a dynamic town centre, a vibrant area boasting a diverse community, with excellent shopping and public transport links. In recent years, Walthamstow has gone from strength to strength, with a number of new independent restaurants, cafes and pubs opening. With an ambitious programme of regeneration planned, there is still more to do to ensure that our transport network is fit for the future.

We have been working closely with Transport for London (TfL) and Network Rail to install a new bridge between Selborne Road and First Avenue which will allow traffic to move from the existing Victorian-era structure to the new bridge – avoiding costly future maintenance work that would have required the total closure of the gyratory.

As a busy transport interchange and a main access point to the town centre shopping area, we want to ensure that changes to the town centre have a positive impact on everyone, whether you walk, cycle, use public transport, or drive.

What happens next?

Following a consultation with residents in the spring of 2018 work has begun on transforming the former bridge into a new large public space, complete with pollution absorbing shrubs and trees and space for pop up stalls.

Transport for London has also concluded their consultation from earlier this year and agreed to relocate the 357 and 97 bus stops from Walthamstow Bus Station on to the new gyratory junction. The final works on Hoe Street is now being completed as well as works to improve footways on Selborne Road, extend the eastbound bus lane to the bus station entrance and install improved traffic lights outside the bus station. This work may cause some temporary disruption to bus services and vehicles along Selborne Road during March 2019.

Overnight resurfacing of Selborne Road is expected to take place during the first week of April 2019.

All the works are expected to be completed by spring 2019.

These changes will support the regeneration projects at Juniper House and the Stretton’s site in Hoe Street.

For further information click on Useful Documents to the right of the page.