This looks like a very good scheme. We understand from the Council that the path will be a bridleway and so open to pedestrians, cyclists … and horses. In effect the path will extend the Roding Valley Way southwards to Ilford putting a valuable leisure cycling route within reach of a lot more people. For those of you not familiar with it, the Roding Valley Way provides a good route from Wanstead Park to Ray Park. It is suitable for all kinds of bike with the probable exception of Tour de France style racers.
We think the extent to which cyclists will actually take advantage of the path is going to depend on the extent to which the Council can provide a network of segregated, traffic calmed or quiet cycle routes to its start.
We haven’t seen the plans for the cycle route running from Newham into Ilford along the Ilford Western Gyratory so at this point we can’t comment on this part of the scheme.
Redbridge Cycling Campaign 