Cyclist group call for campaign to support ‘Active Travel’ in Havering.

Campaigning group Havering Cyclists, is calling on candidates for the council elections on May 5th to commit to boosting the opportunities for ‘Active Travel’ in the borough.

At a campaign meeting this week, Havering Cyclists activist Jeff Stafford said: 

“Many Havering residents are locked into car dependency leading to chronic traffic congestion, air pollution and inactive lifestyles which impacts public health.

“Our government has been promoting Active Travel and asking people to walk, cycle or scoot instead of using of their cars and this is a great way of reducing congestion and air pollution and of building exercise into peoples’ daily routines.

“What’s more, people tell us again and again that they would love to cycle in Havering if only they felt safer and so with the local elections approaching we, as Havering Cyclists, have formulated ‘Five Asks’ that we think will do the most to promote active travel and help Havering break our cycle of car-dependency and traffic congestion.”

The proposals have been sent to each of the main parties contending the Havering council elections and Havering Cyclists members and their supporters have been emailing the leaders as part of a concerted effort to see these changes.

The five asks are:

1 Ensure there are no further cyclist deaths at Marsh Way 

The two tragic cyclist deaths in January 2021 followed complaints from workers at CEME of poor cycling access to this large and important industrial area.

The dual carriageway flyover connecting it with the cycle path on the A1306 has AMPLE traffic capacity to accommodate a segregated cycle lane.

We would like to see an LTN1/20 compliant cycle route from the A1306 through to CEME and the Fairview Industrial Park.

2 Deliver Eight Cycleways 

Present road conditions are hostile and intimidating especially to novice and younger cyclists.

Upgrade LCN12 (from Chadwell Heath to Harold Hill) and LCN15 (from Rush Green to Upminster), which are mentioned as “High Priority” in TfL’s Strategic Cycling Analysis to LTN 1/20 standards.

Provide new Cycleways based on the previously planned six Quietways, all built to the latest (LTN 1/20) standards. These may require traffic interventions to reduce rat-run traffic volumes but these will provide cycle-friendly corridors that will enable people to undertake their journeys without their cars.

3 Improve five of the most dangerous junctions

Junctions are where most serious and fatal collisions with those walking and cycling happen.

They are the single biggest risk to lives, and the single biggest barrier to more people cycling and walking.

We have polled local cyclists and reviewed collision data and suggest these as priorities:

1.  Ardleigh Green Rd/Squirrels Heath Rd

2.  Upper Brentwood Rd/Squirrels Heath Lane

3.  Oldchurch Roundabout

4.  Brewery Roundabout

5.  Mercury Gardens/St Edwards Way

4 Deliver School Streets 

We have welcomed the small number of schemes implemented so far and applaud the council’s efforts in making them successful.

By helping to break the habit of car-dependency, we see these schemes starting to make a real difference to people’s activity levels.

We would like to see these schemes extended to all possible schools in the borough, (accepting that those located on main roads will be difficult).

5 Provide secure and inclusive cycle parking

Havering has a good record of providing cycle parking near railway stations and in shopping areas but there are still gaps.

Many flat dwellers in the borough have nowhere to keep a bike which is a real barrier.

We would like to see secure cycle parking at all civic amenities and residential areas without provision (particularly council and private flats)

We also think it is time to limit overall car parking availability so that it is never cheaper or easier to park a car than it is a bike.