Author: tandemtourist

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?  

Ask Your Council For a Bikehangar

At the Wanstead Festival a member of the public came up to me and asked if I knew anyone he could talk to about getting a cycle hanger in his street (I was wearing my RCC Ride Marshall’s vest, so less random than it might otherwise appear).  I told him I was his man. 

As it happens the subject had come up the previous week at the recent meeting of the Redbridge Cycle Forum.  Council officers told us the best way to apply is via the Cyclehoop rentals website.  Here’s the link

Ask Your Council For a Bikehangar | Cyclehoop

Saves jumping through hoops I guess …

If you do apply tell us how you get on via the contact page on our website or emailing us at Redbridge@lcc.org.uk