Author: tandemtourist

May’s Local Council Elections

Streets for Cycling

The local elections are upon us. 

London Cycling Campaign is hoping to get the support of local party leaders to build safe cycle networks in their Boroughs – something that would benefit thousands of Londoners each and every day.  LCC is calling its campaign Streets for Cycling. 

As we all know, here in Redbridge, there’s plenty of opportunity to improve things …

So, what is RCC going to do?

We have just emailed each of the main parties or, if we know who they are, the local leaders of these parties, to ask them to pledge their support for Streets for Cycling. 

Here is the text of the email we are sending

On behalf of Redbridge Cycling Campaign, the local group of the London Cycling Campaign, I am asking you to pledge your party to building a safe cycle network in Redbridge, something that would benefit many thousands of Redbridge residents every day.

A connected cycle network makes cycling safer for everyone, whether that is children cycling to school, families cycling to the park, or people going to their train station, GP or local shops.

Transport for London has identified seven key cycling corridors within our Borough.  Just building a route along the corridor between Ilford and Chadwell Heath would create a commuter route across the Borough towards Stratford and the City, would transport residents to our Elizabeth Line stations and link Ilford to Seven Kings, Goodmayes and Chadwell Heath. 

Creating cycle routes along another four of the seven corridors would connect the high streets and town centres of Ilford, Gants Hill, Barkingside, Woodford Bridge and Woodford Green and connect the Aldersbrook area to Wanstead and Leytonstone. 

Routes along the two remaining corridors would provide a commuting route from the northern Borough boundary at Woodford Bridge to the Green Man roundabout in Leytonstone and then on to the City.  

These seven routes, combined with the Borough’s School Streets and expanding number of area wide 20mph zones, would create a wide network of safe cycle routes across a large part of the Borough.  

Irrespective of which party or parties form the next administration, the financial climate will be poor, but the good news here is that … 

Transport for London has funding available, that the London Borough of Redbridge can bid for, to build routes along these corridors.

So we are asking you to pledge to build these routes by 2030:  the project is not too big and the funding is there. 

We think it will be popular but, notwithstanding its popularity, without a switch from cars to cycles, Redbridge is going to grind to a halt.

Here is a link to a map that shows the seven TFL strategic cycling corridors in Redbridge.  The lines are straight because routes have not been built yet.

If you are thinking about pledging your support but have some questions, we would be pleased to meet with you and answer them.  We can also take you on a ride through the Borough to see things on the ground. 

Either way, if you want to take up the offer we are available from now until the 14th of April.

If you are ready to pledge to Streets for Cycling, please send your statement of support to elections@lcc.org.uk, copying me in at Redbridge@lcc.org.uk

During the pre-election period you may receive emails from residents asking you to take the Streets for Cycling pledge.   Please let me know if this is not the best email address to reach your local party leadership, and if so, what alternative you would like residents to use. 

You can see that we are offering to

  • meet the local party leaders or their representatives if they are thinking about pledging but have some questions.
  • take local party leaders or their representatives on a ride in the Borough to see things in the ground.

We will update our post when leaders make the pledge.  In a couple of weeks time we will chase up any leaders who have not replied. 

You can email leaders yourself.

London Cycling Campaign has made it easy for us all to email local leaders.  Log on to their website and look for this panel.  Your email will be sent to your Borough’s local party leaders. 

We know that there may not be many votes in improving cycling provision and that other issues are likely to dominate the election.  And parties may be reluctant to make commitments for fear of making themselves hostages to fortune.  But, at the same time, it is an opportunity to let those standing for election know that there are many residents who think improving the Borough’s provision for cyclists is important.  And you never know, they might just remember that once in Office.  So, email away!

You can’t always get what you want but if you don’t ask you don’t get

Redbridge has a short survey on their website inviting residents to have their say on the 2026/7 budget.  Here’s the link

Planning ahead for next year’s budget: Your chance to shape our future | Let’s Talk Redbridge

If enough of us ask the Council to spend more on cycle infrastructure it’s possible that it might – especially as improving the provision for cyclists is an essential to implementing the Council’s Sustainable Transport Strategy:

 “We have adopted a sustainable transport “road user hierarchy “which simply states that in our future decision-making, whether that be investments, how we designer scheme or our policies, we will consider the needs of certain people, ways of travelling and vehicle types before others.”

So, allocating more money to cycling will be the Council putting its money where its mouth is …

If we don’t ask for what we want, we will lose out to others who do.  The survey is quick and easy.  The two key questions are 3 and 4.  Here are my answers to those two questions. 

Q3. An independent nationwide survey carried out by IMPOWER saw Redbridge ranked as the most efficient and best value for money council in London and 2nd best in England. Though proud of this we’re not at all complacent and know there’s always room to improve. With that in mind, what could the council be doing that would make a positive difference for you?

A: Investing more, both in terms of money and staff, in cycling.  The Borough should have a network of safe cycling routes so that residents can use bicycles to go about their daily lives – going shopping, taking their children to school, going to the railway station, the GP etc.  This needs investment and council officers with suitable skills and in sufficient numbers to carry out the work.  

Q4.  When it comes to setting a budget, much of what councils do today focuses on the things that we have to provide – essential services like making sure we’ve got enough social workers to help our most vulnerable children and young people and collecting your waste and recycling. Where we do have more flexibility, it would be helpful to know what your local priorities are.

Of the following, please tick up to three areas you’d want us to prioritise in the future

þHighways – maintaining roads and pavements, fixing potholes, managing water gritting, and improving road safety and walking/cycling routes.

Amusingly, the CAPTCHA image was of a bike …

Time to have your say.

Council Leader Kam Rai speaking about Ride Redbridge at the full council meeting on 26th June 2025

Councillor Rai spoke about Ride Redbridge.  Here’s a video of what he had to say. 

The quality is not great – best to think of it as a trailer.  The Council puts up on their website a full recording of each council meeting but for some reason, on 26th July, the Kam cam wasn’t working. 

Councillor Rai went on the ride, enjoyed it and talked about how the ride supported the aspirations set out in the Council’s newly adopted Sustainable Transport Strategy.  He talked about how rides like this can build cycle confidence, show riders what is possible and, hopefully, encourage them to use their bikes more often – maybe to go to a high street or a GP. 

We were pleased to hear Councillor Rai talk about plans to expand the walking and cycling network across the Borough – we’ve got a few ideas on that topic, so give us a call …

Finally, glad we could lend you a bike Kam! (1.08 into the video) and we really appreciate all you said. 

Sustainable Transport Strategy

7 Up – statements we’re pleased to see

Before we get to the list this is what you can read on page 10:

We’re on the road to nowhere …

And now the statements …

1. This growth [in population from 310,100 (2021) to 365,000 (2041)] will not be possible without an integrated and sustainable transport network that allows everyone to travel from home to school, work and other key destinations across the borough and beyond, to keep Redbridge moving.  (p6). All else being equal, more people means more car journeys means Redbridge grinds to a halt.  Somethings gotta give, on yer bike – it takes up less road space. 

2. Public transport (e.g. bus, underground and rail) and active travel (walking, wheeling, cycling and scooting) networks are fragmented … and not well connected to green spaces or other key infrastructure in the borough such as transport links and places of work (p8). An honest assessment of where we are. Now’s the time for some joined up thinking.

3. Road user hierarchy for Redbridge

As night follows day, we can’t build more roads for more cars so to keep Redbridge moving we need more people to walk, cycle and take the bus. These are not virtual activities: space is required and there is only one place to find it. 

4. To keep Redbridge moving the option to choose and use sustainable travel options that involve walking, wheeling, cycling and use of public transport is needed (p15).  That’s sorting out dangerous junctions, putting cycle tracks along main roads, reducing traffic speeds and turning rat runs into quiet streets.  17 years is enough time. 

5. The transport network will enable people to access key destinations, community services and green spaces by sustainable travel options, (p17).  As above.

6. The figure provides an insight into how different neighbourhoods, centres and roads should be characterised to keep Redbridge moving and importantly rebalance street priority to ensure vulnerable user groups pedestrians and cyclists feel safe

By our reckoning that’s most of the Borough’s Road network suitable for cycling which means, Borough wide, sorting out dangerous junctions, putting cycle tracks along main roads, reducing traffic speeds and turning rat runs into quiet streets.  There’s a bit of a theme emerging here …

7. At least 2/3 of all journeys will be by public transport, walking, wheeling (i.e. using of (sic) wheelchairs and mobility scooters), cycling or scooting.  (p7).  Surely a typo?  If Redbridge does what it says it wants to do, by 2041 4/5ths is possible isn’t it?