Author: Karen Flanagan

Thank you for your email.

As I’m sure you understand I am unable to commit directly to any funding proposals without receiving internal governance sign-offs. I will raise yours (and the Councillors concerns from last week) within Thames Water. Where possible we have avoided full closures, exemplified by our ongoing works at Stratford High Street, but it is becoming increasingly difficult to balance access to the Greenway against planning safely the infrastructure improvements needed to upgrade the Victorian sewers. These are once in a generation projects – once complete the Greenway will re-open and provide a fantastic community benefit as it has done for many years previously.

With regard to the diversions themselves please advise if you feel there are any alternative routes to those presented last week? We have been working closely with LB Newham for some time and if there is a safer way to implement these closures we would welcome those ideas. To date Thames Water have funded improvements on the existing diversion route including traffic calming measures on Abbey Road, widening of the ramp at Manor Road and improvements in lighting around Manor Road bridge. 

As for the notice periods provided we are giving as much time as possible but we cannot slip our timescales as ultimately these are driven by the assets themselves; their condition and the work we need to do to repair and replace them.

Happy to meet to discuss any follow up questions,

Kind regards

Many thanks to those who have already offered to speak to camera for our video, and also many thanks to those who have written about their experiences for our Newham “map of pain”.

In order to make the maximum impact, we need to tell the human story of the Greenway closures – the individuals who are and will be affected. We would like to involve as many people as possible, and to reflect the diversity of the pedestrian and cycling users of the Greenway. Are you/your family/your friends affected by this closure? Do you work in the healthcare sector? Do you work with community groups? Do you cycle for a living? Would you be willing to talk to camera for 20-30 seconds? Do you know anyone affected who you could ask to tell us their story? If so please contact us at newham@lcc.org.uk and we will be in touch.

If you would prefer to write about your experience,  we are using a form to collect individual experiences of the impact of the Newham Greenway closures. These will be displayed on this website on a map of Newham – the “map of pain”! – linking individuals to Council wards. Please complete the form, keeping in mind that this information will be displayed on a publicly available webpage, so please choose your name and location such that your identity remains secure. Your email will only be used to send you a copy of your response; it will not be displayed.

Thanks,

Jonathan and Karen.

At a meeting arranged by Newham Council on Wednesday 21st May, Thames Water finally confirmed significant further closures of the Newham Greenway, on the Northern Outfall Sewer. TW suggested this was a risk in a response to questions from Caroline Russell AM in March. However the closure timeline of 2-3 years has not previously been shared. Moreover the timing of this announcement means that Newham Council has less than 4 months to provide safe alternative routes for walking and cycling. Our understanding of the closures and their duration is as follows:

Phase 1, ongoing: Greenway closed from Channelsea Bridge to Manor Road Bridge

Phase 2, July 2025 – September 2025: Greenway closed from Stratford High Street to Manor Road Bridge 

Phase 3, September 2025 – December 2027: Greenway closed from Channelsea Bridge to Upper Road 

We are writing to express our concerns regarding the safety implications of these closures, and the proposed diversions, and to ask how Thames Water intends to support Newham Council with funding for safe diversion routes.

The Greenway (aka C22, one of TfL’s designated cycleways)  is the only safe route for cycling between the north and south of Newham, serving schools, colleges, and Newham Hospital. In 2024, Newham Council recorded 3,200 cyclists using the Greenway each day. 

For many, cycling is more affordable, convenient, and more reliable than public transport. Many people who live in Newham depend on walking and cycling for their day-to-day travel—particularly for non-discretionary journeys that they have to make, no matter what. People deserve to be able to make those journeys safely.

The current Phase 1 closure of the Greenway has already unacceptably compromised safety for people walking and cycling, who are diverted via Abbey Road, a narrow bridge, with fast and heavy traffic and narrow pavements. Many cyclists using this route have experienced dangerous incidents involving motor vehicles, including parents with children. 

Your proposals for Phase 2 will force cyclists to use the alternative Bridge Road diversion. This will more than double journey times for those using the cheapest forms of transport, and also involves passing through the 3rd and 4th most dangerous junctions in Newham when travelling southeast – including the junction with Carpenters Road, where a cyclist was hit and killed by a lorry in January 2025. 

The Phase 3 Greenway closure will additionally remove access to a safe crossing of the District Line for people walking and cycling. Your proposed alternative routes via Plaistow High Street and Manor Road have fast, heavy traffic and no cycling provision, and include navigating the 5th most dangerous junction in Newham for cycling.

The diversion routes proposed by Thames Water for Phase 3 are particularly unsafe. As discussed at the meeting, Newham Council will have to take action to mitigate the impact of the Greenway closures by providing safer alternatives. But with only 4 months’ notice, there is little time for Newham to apply for funding to deliver a safe alternative route, let alone to complete the work.

We have the following questions:

1. Will Thames Water delay Phase 3 of the Greenway closures in order to allow Newham Council time to construct safe diversions for walking and cycling?
2. Will Thames Water support Newham Council financially in constructing safe diversions for walking and cycling?

Newham Cyclists and LCC exist to break down barriers to cycling, and help people of all ages, all races, all genders, all abilities, and all backgrounds access this cheap and convenient form of transport. The principal barrier to cycling and walking is safety. We look forward to hearing how you will support measures to ensure the safety of pedestrians and cyclists travelling between the north and south of Newham.

It has come to our attention that Thames Water will be significantly extending their closure of the Greenway, extending their closures as far as Stratford High Street and Upper Road. They have given Newham Council less than 4 months to provide safe alternative routes for walking and cycling. This is completely unacceptable and Thames Water need to take responsibility for their poor planning. This is the information we have to date (below). We have been informed that Newham officers are in discussion with Thames Water to try to reduce the extent of the closures.

Phase 1, ongoing: Greenway closed from Channelsea Bridge to Manor Road Bridge

Phase 2, July 2025 – September 2025: Greenway closed from Stratford High Street to Manor Road Bridge 

Phase 3, September 2025 – December 2027: Greenway closed from Channelsea Bridge to Upper Road 

We will be writing to Thames Water about their hilarious suggested diversions (for Phase 3, via Plaistow High Street and Manor Road) and will ask how they intend to help (financially) Newham Council to provide safe diversion routes for walking and cycling.

What we need from you: in order to make the maximum impact, we need to tell the human story of these closures – the individuals who are and will be affected. We will be producing articles and videos and we would like to involve as many people as possible. Are you/your family/your friends affected by this closure? Do you work in the healthcare sector? Do you work with community groups? Would you be willing to talk to camera for 20-30s? Do you know anyone affected who you could ask to tell us their story? If so please contact us at newham@lcc.org.uk and we will be in touch.

Thanks, Jonathan and Karen.