On Monday 20th January at 6pm, we held a vigil at the site of a crash the week prior, which claimed the life of a cyclist in his 20s. Our co-ordinator, Jonathan, read the following prepared remarks. We then held a minute’s silence to commemorate the man who was killed.
We’re here tonight to mark the sad events of last Monday. Details are still scarce to us, and no doubt will become clearer in the coming weeks and months as the Police and coroner make their inquiries.
Right now, we have no further details about the person who died, nor the circumstances of the crash.
Fatal crashes involving lorries and people cycling are a distressingly regular occurrence. The last one in London that we know about was only 10 weeks earlier, on 2nd November last year, when a 27-year-old man was hit and killed in Putney while he was on his way to meet his friends for lunch.
Last week’s crash took place just a few feet away from here, at a junction that was, between 2019 and 2023, Newham’s fourth most dangerous for cycling. Despite being a known danger spot, Carpenters Road junction has been left largely untouched and unprotected for over a decade—just like its neighbours at Cooks Road and Warton Road. It should not take someone, or someones, losing their life for the responsible authorities to take action to remove danger from our streets—at a location that the thousands of us who navigate Stratford on a daily basis know all too well. Even one death is one too many.
Today we are here to acknowledge yet another violent and premature end to a person’s life on London’s roads—and to pay our respects to the unknown rider whose life ended here. And it is easy to forget when policymakers, journalists, and indeed campaigners like us, so readily reduce traffic fatalities to statistics, but let us remember: Every single death or serious injury in traffic is someone’s personal tragedy.
No matter who the young gentleman who died here was, no matter what he was doing, no matter where he was going: no-one deserves a sudden and violent death while simply going about their lives.
We’ll now observe a minute’s silence to reflect, and to pay our respects to the person who was killed.
Newham Council decided not to remove car traffic from Abbey Road, despite this being the formal diversion for the borough’s only safe north-south cycle route. This is despite horrendous near misses on a daily basis—danger which will affect people turning to their cycles during next week’s Tube strike. This is unacceptable. We demand action before someone is hurt or killed.
Halloween may have been yesterday, but the Greenway nightmare is far from over. We have been informed by Newham Council that they will not be proceeding with the traffic order to remove traffic from Abbey Road—a narrow, weak bridge which isn’t on the Strategic Road Network and was never designed to carry the volume of traffic it does—after objections from the Police.
This is a terrible outcome which leaves people who rely on walking and cycling in severe danger. Near misses are extremely common. It is inevitable that at some point, one of those “near misses” won’t be a miss any more.
Keeping Abbey Road open to traffic exposes the most vulnerable road users using the cheapest modes of transport to unacceptable danger, including during next week’s Tube strikes. This failure of leadership from the Council undermines the superb workthey’re doing elsewhere.
It is a matter of time before someone is seriously injured or killed on or around Abbey Road while using the Greenway diversion. We have expressed this concern repeatedly over the past months.
What now?
Short term changes
The “good” news (if we can call it that) is that the traffic calming we were promised over a month ago should finally be installed soon—it has been paid for by Thames Water, and the council are awaiting approvals from TfL’s structures team (since the bridge is over the Jubilee line and DLR.) We hope this should be imminent but feel the delivery of traffic calming has taken much too long. We are also concerned that speed cushions might make close passes by motorists more likely. We will closely monitor the situation.
We have asked for the “do not overtake cyclists” signs we were promised by Thames Water on 20th September to be installed as well. Drivers overtaking cyclists has been a common theme in almost every report we’ve had from Greenway users of a near miss.
Newham Council are also looking at signing a diversion route via Bridge Road (parallel to the DLR.) While much safer than Abbey Road, and actually more convenient for accessing Stratford and destinations to the north east, Bridge Road is nowhere near up to the standard of the Greenway, with narrow bollards at the south end limiting access. It also adds considerable delay to journeys towards Bow and central London via C2, in the region of 10 minutes.
The Bridge Road diversion which Newham Council are going to sign. It’s better than Abbey Road… but a significant diversion if you’re heading west.
The long-term (but still-might-not-happen) plan
The “permanent” solution Newham are planning is to widen the southern pavement on Abbey Road to provide a 4m two way cycle route, with the northern pavement reserved for pedestrians. A single lane would be available for motor traffic, which would either be one-way or operate in alternating directions. However there are a number of issues at play:
The timescale for this kind of work is at least 3-6 months, even with Newham’s officers focusing on it full time. This is frankly disastrous, meaning people cycling will continue to be endangered on the Greenway diversion well into the New Year (when many people begin cycling to work for the first time, and may have a terrifying first experience)
Physical infrastructure will be expensive—well over £150,000. While we obviously think this is a price worth paying to avoid even one serious injury or death, Newham Council is extremely strapped for cash; that money will have to come from somewhere.
Stakeholders may object to any solution on Abbey Road that reduces capacity for cars. If the Police have an issue with a full closure (exempting emergency services) they may also have an issue with reducing its capacity to make way for cycling infrastructure. This is despite—as we said before—Abbey Road not being on the Strategic Road Network, never being designed for the 9000+ vehicles that use it each day, and the A112 and A12 being eminently more suitable for those volumes of traffic.
We are not aware of any progress on the mooted diversion via Crows Road, which would run through private land.
Other things we have asked about
We asked about speed cameras. These would likely need co-operation from TfL and the Police.
We asked about changing the traffic light phasing on the Abbey Road/Leywick Street junction, to split the east/west phase into 2 phases and make it easier for people cycling to turn right. This would also require collaboration from TfL.
Further feedback from Greenway users
This is another selection of some of the feedback we have received. We have tried to credit the people who provided it where we can—please let us know if this is your feedback and you would like your name added (or removed.)
I was just almost flattened by a van swinging out of the yard at the junction where the greenway is closed, and the van then proceeded to block my exit onto the bridge. On top of this, the road surface on the bridge in wet conditions is highly dangerous, especially when being forced into the kerb by close passing traffic. — Laura, via email
The right turn into Leywick Street is particularly awful – much better for Abbey Road to be closed to vehicle traffic, or single lane with traffic lights enabling cyclists to use the other lane —hilbobbling via Instagram
A driver on the bridge heading towards West Ham from Stratford way overtook me at the bridge and when he realised he’d collide with a car coming the other way he cut back in and forced me to a near crash.— Orrin, via email
It’s ridiculous. That road is known for cars speeding and then add that to when you are cycling with your family… it’s added 15 mins minimum of stress to a relaxing family friendly route… — architect_mummy via Instagram
This is my route home. It’s not safe. I’m really not looking forward to using it in the wet and the dark. —@cattleprod via twitter
There is nothing to indicate to drivers that it has become a diversionary cycle route. Drivers ignore the 20mph speed limit and there are no cameras to enforce it. — annekehodnett via Instagram
What must happen now
Newham Council need to get their act together and deliver a truly safe solution for cycling on the Greenway, fast—preferably by Christmas. Thames Water, plus other organisations such as TfL, need to help them achieve this.
This could involve:
Giving Newham Council’s officers the money, staffing levels, resources, and expertise necessary to accelerate delivery of cycling infrastructure on Abbey Road Bridge–preferably by Christmas;
Reviving the experimental traffic order with a view topermanently closing Abbey Road bridge—yet again, a narrow and weak structure that was never designed for the heavy traffic it now sees;
Working fast to deliver a diversion via the currently-closed Crows Road and negotiating with landowners and stakeholders to make that happened
In the immediate term: Overtaking of cyclists on Abbey Road needs to stop. The “DO NOT OVERTAKE CYCLISTS” signs that were promised need to go up within days. Speed cameras and a police presence may lead to better compliance. We will contact TfL about speed cameras. Thames Water should contribute to the capital cost of installing any cameras.
In the long term, Thames Water needs to recognise the importance of the Greenway to the community and change their planning so that nothing like this happens in future years. Providing a safe alternative for people who rely on the Greenway for their daily travel should’ve been a key dependency that was fulfilled before the Greenway was closed.
What you can do
Your photos, videos, and stories are powerful! Share them with us at newham@lcc.org.uk or on Instagram and Twitter/X. We may soon be undertaking a larger campaigning activity in November—please let know if you want to get involved in this too, or better still, join our email newsgroup.
We naturally continue to encourage you to complain to your councillors (find out who they are here). While this decision was made by Newham Council’s officers (permanent employees) and not their elected representatives, it’s still important that you tell your councillors your concerns. It helps them gauge the strength of public feeling about the issue and press for action. If you want to make an impression, you could also write to the Mayor of Newham, Rokhsana Fiaz.
It’s also worth complaining to Thames Water quoting ref BB00472913 because none of this would have happened had they managed their assets properly & not sprung a closure of the Greenway on the Council with only a few months’ notice. We think Thames Water must fund at least part of Newham’s costs for the permanent solution.
We support this scheme and hope that it will go together with a wider scheme to improve both the C-link and the Water Lane area, which is blighted by high volumes of high speed traffic despite not being a main road. We are very aware that there was recently a fatal crash here (two Fridays ago.)
We’ve asked for clearer visual priority for people walking and cycling, with a continuous surface treatment, to make more likely that drivers will give way to people crossing (as they legally should.)
You can find our response below, and use that to inform your own response to the survey.
Newham Council are consulting on a long-term plan for cycling in East Village (the ex Olympic athlete’s village on the “new” side of Stratford). The designs are a step-change for the Olympic Park, an area whose cycling infra has been outdated from the moment it was built. The proposals include safer cycle tracks, continuous pavements for most of the streets in the area, and fixes for dangerous junctions.
We support the scheme, but would like Newham to do a little more to make sure everyone can benefit from it—particularly children cycling to school at Chobham Academy.
The consultation is open until Sunday 17th March: we recommend you support the scheme, but ask Newham to:
Deliver the scheme quickly, obtaining funding from the many housing and commercial developments in the area to do so.
Find a way for kids to cycle safely to school on Liberty Bridge Road over the railway line, where the designs currently dump people cycling out into the carriageway due to a width restriction. We’d like to see a bus gate, or an extension of the school street on Cheering Lane. Doing nothing is not an option.
Fix the Mirabelle Gardens-Elis Way-Cheering Lane rat run. Drivers leaving Westfield often use this as a shortcut to avoid the traffic lights on Celebration Avenue.
Remember: your own views and experiences will carry the most weight in consultations.
The London Legacy Development Corporation is consulting on highway designs for Carpenters Road, due to re-open with the East Bank/Stratford Waterfront development. The planning references are 22/00256/AOD and 22/00249/NMA and can be checked on LLDC’s planning register.
We have been consulted throughout the design process for this as part of LLDC’s Sustainable and Active Travel Group, and this early engagement has been welcome.
We support the principle of a cycleway on Carpenters Road, but are concerned about the details of the proposals. In particular, we worry that they repeat mistakes made elsewhere in the park (e.g. on Montfichet Road) and don’t adequately deal with speeding and rat-running, which was a major problem before Carpenters Road closed for construction (over 80% of vehicles exceeded the 20mph speed limit.) We think that a longer term solution must involve serious measures to reduce traffic, which would then unlock space for better walking and cycling provision.
For a long time, Westfield Avenue has been one of the worst places to cycle in our borough. Pedestrian lights across tiny crossovers. Surprise obstacles. Pavement parking. Crossings where you’re expected to wait up to four times on caged traffic islands for the light to turn green. It’s an embarrassment to the Olympic Legacy.
We’re thrilled that the London Legacy Development Corporation and Newham Council are consulting on a brand new design for Westfield Avenue, which they hope to start building next year and finish by 2025. This is unlike anything we’ve seen in the Olympic Park before: a high quality, best-practice design from the start, with people walking and cycling taking priority over motorists. It’s been 10 long years, but this is much better late than never!
WESTFIELD AVENUE PLANS: Convenient, comfortable, at a human scale
LLDC and Newham need to know that local people want it. If you visit Westfield or the London Stadium, or if you live nearby at the Carpenters Estate, or in Hackney Wick, East Village, or International Quarter—tell them “yes please!”
Say “Strongly Agree” for widened pavements, widened crossing points, improved lighting, and location of bus stops
Say “Strongly Agree” for a 3m cycleway separated from the road and pavement with crossings, relocation of bus stops and loading bays, additional cycle stands and e-bike charging, and additional Santander cycle hire facilities on Westfield Avenue
Say what you think of the idea to move the Aquatics Centre cycle hire stand to Westfield Avenue, and also the locations of the motorcycle parking, taxi rank, loading bays, and the crossovers and side roads (e.g. at Glasshouse Gardens and Turing Street.)
On the “Additional Features” page:
Say “Happy/Love It!” to the seating, trees, and planting on Westfield Avenue
Say what you think of the redesigned Stratford Walk (the bridge between Westfield and the Aquatics Centre)
If you have time to write any more…
Support the new one-way southbound on Olympic Park Avenue—this will eliminate a rat-run through residential areas and allow a continuous cycle route across the railway line
Ask for further work in the future to redesign Marshgate Lane junction, to separate all modes and reduce speeds
Ask for a smooth, flat cycle track that’s accessible to all kinds of cycle (including tricycles, wheelchair clip-on hand cycles, recumbents, etc.)
You can read our response to the consultation here. We strongly support the proposals, but suggest additional changes to the Marshgate Lane junction in future to fully separate all modes.
Take action: Stop MSG Sphere bringing more cars to Stratford
Planning applications 19/00097/FUL and 19/00098/ADV
The Madison Square Garden company wants to build a new 21,500-capacity music venue next door to Stratford Station. It will be in the shape of a giant, glowing sphere (similar to Rover from The Prisoner), towering over residential blocks and the newly improved Stratford Town Centre.
We at Newham Cyclists are deeply worried by the proposals for the Sphere:
MSG have taken a look at the current travel patterns to gigs at the London Stadium, decided they’re acceptable (we disagree), and proposed exactly the same modal share for this new, ‘state-of-the-art’ venue. That means:
around 2,600 people driving to a sold out event—and a paltry cycling modal share of 0.1%. (It’s not like people will never cycle to gigs: the cycle parking at the All Points East festival in Victoria Park was actually full up!)
thousands more people through Stratford station at rush hour, making the station unusable for local residents and pushing many more people into their cars for short journeys.
We want a travel plan that aims for a cycling modal share of 5-10%, and doesn’t create worse overcrowding at Stratford station.
Cycling has been tossed a carrot in the form of an extended cycleway on Montfichet Road… but it looks just as bad as some of the older stuff in the Olympic Park. Interrupted by shared areas, with conflict between walking and cycling baked into the design. In 2019, we should be doing better.
More worryingly, their answer to the current pinch point and painted cycle lanes on Angel Lane (the Sphere’s main access road)? Narrow the road, so everyone—kids, grandparents, Disabled folk—has to cycle uphill, in front of lorries, artists’ coaches, speeding minicabs… the lot. This is bad. TfL have found that lots more people could cycle along Angel Lane in future (see TfL Strategic Cycling Analysis Route 7)—but if these plans go ahead, that will lock many of these people out from cycling here for decades. Considering we need to cut carbon emissions by 50% by 2030, that’s plain irresponsible. We want an exemplar cycling facility here.
Newham Cyclists will formally object to the MSG Sphere application… but we need your help. You can send your own response to the planning application and tell LLDC and MSG that this isn’t good enough.In a hurry? Use our template to send an objection email. Click here and your computer will pre-populate an email. Don’t forget to personalise it with your name, address, and ways the Sphere will affect you!
Got a little more time? Write your own objection like this:
State that you formally object to the planning application.
Feel free to use or reference our reasons for objecting—but don’t forget, put it in your own words and use your own experiences. (For instance: Live near Maryland? Don’t feel safe cycling in front of lorries on Angel Lane to get to the shops? Do your kids go to school in the Olympic Park? Expressing your concerns in terms of the impact the Sphere will have on you, and your family and friends, will hold more sway with the planning committee.)
Don’t forget to include your name and address.
Send the email by Friday 28th June 2019. You’ve not got long, but it doesn’t take long to object—just five minutes to send an email will be enough!
Olawale has produced a very easy and quick guide to help fill in the questionnaire (a total of #11 questions) with regards to specific support for the proposed cycling infrastructure. It should only take about 5 to 10 minutes to complete!! (see PDF file nc-recommended-answers-to-sg-questionnaire-1)
The NC ‘recommendations’ focus on Questions#1, #3, #6, #7, #9 and #10 (6- choice tick answer option) with short ‘further comments’ additions for Questions #3, #6, #7and #10. All highlighted in bold italic red font in the PDF file attachment.
If you have more time don’t hesitate to elaborate further in your own words when filling in the questionnaire. Many thanks for support.
Many of you, like me, will use CS2 on a daily basis to get to work. Over the past few months, there have been a ridiculous number of changes to the start of CS2 at Stratford Broadway, coming full circle back to exactly where we started. This just isn’t acceptable. Not only is it hugely dangerous to keep changing the road layout so that no road user has any idea what they’re doing, but the cost of all these changes must be incredible.
Arnold has already emailed Councillors Crawford & Christie and submitted a Freedom of Information request, but it may be that this is something that we really want to push as a group. Please let us have your thoughts by commenting below.
Here are some photos documenting the changes as well as a short video.
