Liveable Streets Bow

You told us the junction of Roman Road and St Stephen’s Road is noisy, polluted and congested. Survey results also showed Roman Road is used by drivers who are cutting through Bow; they are not stopping and spending time in the area.

Pedestrian Improvements

Did you know pedestrians cross over the Roman Road/St Stephen’s Road junction over 5,600 times every day? Most of those journeys are heading to and from the market section of Roman Road. On market days this number grows to over 10,000! We want to create a safer and more pleasant environment for pedestrians crossing at the St Stephen’s Road/Roman Road junction. We can transform the public space around the junction by widening pavements, planting trees, removing cluttered guardrails, providing more cycle parking, seating and creating more waiting space at bus stops.

Bus Gateway

To create a better junction and help prevent vehicles travelling through your neighbourhood each day, we are proposing a bus gateway on Roman Road between Ford Road and St Stephen’s Road. This means only buses and cyclists will be allowed to travel through this part of the road. Preventing other vehicles also reduces additional noise, road danger and anti-social behaviour, making your streets feel safer for walking and cycling.

We are consulting on different options for how this bus gateway could operate:

• 24 hours a day, Monday to Sunday
• Between 7am and 7pm, Monday to Friday
• From 7am to 10am, and 2.30pm to 7pm, Monday to Friday

Roman Road Car Park

To further enhance the public space, an upgrade to the layout of the Roman Road carpark is also proposed. The new layout reduces the total capacity by 7 spaces. An assessment of use, shows even at the busiest times only 49% of the car park spaces are used. We think this space could be better used to enhance the town centre environment.

Roman Road and St Stephen's Road Junction Plan

Roman Road - West Section

The aim for Roman Road, between St Stephen’s Road and Grove Road, is to enhance the streetscape outside of shops even further and ensure an accessible route throughout the area. Proposals for this section of the road include:

• A raised continuous pavement at Ford Road and the estate entrances
• Removing 8 out of 16 loading bays and converting them to short stay/residential parking and parklets
• Ensuring dropped kerbs in all appropriate locations

Additional Road Closure

A closure is also proposed on Thoydon Road, west of Strahan Road to prevent cut-through traffic avoiding the traffic signals.

The Scheme 2 proposal focuses on transforming the town centre, the heart of Bow, and aims to establish a pedestrian friendly space, attracting more visitors to the area.

Traffic Changes

We want to create an environment that attracts more people and makes it more pleasant for the thousands of pedestrians walking along Roman Road every day. By extending the existing timed pedestrian hours from the three to seven days and investing in the public space, we hope to achieve this goal.

We propose to increase the pedestrian hours to 10am to 4.30pm, seven days a week.

Further details:

• Licensed market pitch locations remain as usual and will not be impacted
• Loading for businesses remains the same outside of pedestrian hours
• The impact on resident parking is minimised as permit holders can still park on the street outside pedestrian hours.

Artist's Impression of Roman Road proposals

Public Space

After removing the day time traffic, we propose investing heavily in this area by widening pavements, tree planting, and creating a new public space, where people can stop, rest and spend time. By doing this the town centre becomes even more of a local ‘destination’ and supports the local economy to thrive.

If proposals are carried forward, further local engagement on public spaces will be carried out with businesses, market traders and local residents.

Roman Road between Parnell Road and St Stephen's Road Plan

Walking and Cycling Improvements

Old Ford Road forms one of the busiest through-traffic routes in Bow. Over 16,000 vehicles use this residential road each day, with more than 55% of vehicles using it as a cut-through by drivers who don’t stop locally. Skew Bridge is temporarily closed in relation to social distancing due to Coronavirus. However residents have suggested closing Skew Bridge permanently to motor vehicles to improve road safety, air quality, and reduce noise pollution. By reducing traffic volume on Old Ford Road, we can create a cycle and pedestrian friendly environment as a safe alternative to Victoria Park, particularly when the park is closed. This will also link Victoria Park with the nearby shops which improve Bow.

Additional Parking

We are proposing additional resident bays on the either side of Skew Bridge.

St Stephen’s Road Junction

We propose to convert the roundabout at junction of St Stephen’s Road/Old Ford Road to a T-Junction to increase the safety of pedestrians and cyclists. Three new short stay parking spaces and cycle stands are proposed outside the shops east of St Stephen’s junction.

Skew Bridge, Old Ford Road Visualisation

Parnell Road Junction

We also want to improve cycle safety at the junction of Old Ford Road and Parnell Road, to provide a safe route to and from the cycle bridge over the A12.

Parnell Road/Old Ford Road Junction Plan

With the proposed closure on Old Ford Road and bus gateway on Roman Road, traffic is likely to seek alternative cut-through routes. In order to stop this from happening and protect walking and cycling routes for residents and young children travelling to school, work and the town centre, several changes to traffic are proposed in this area.

We propose the following:

• Closure at the junction of Selwyn Road and Antill Road.
• Timed closure under the rail bridge on Coborn Road.
• To re-introduce the right turn from Coborn Road into Bow Road. We are also investigating the possibility to reinstate the right turn from Bow Road into Coborn Road with TfL.
• A cycle filter at the existing road closure on Morgan Street. One parking space on Grove Road will be removed to facilitate this.
• To remove three parking spaces on Coborn Road to create passing spaces for vehicles.

Coborn Road Closure

We are consulting on different options for how Coborn Road could operate:

• 24 hours a day, Monday to Sunday (this option would allow for a new public space at the closure point with planting and wider pavements)
• Between 7am and 7pm, Monday to Friday
• From 7am to 10am, and 2.30pm to 7pm, Monday to Friday

Public Space Improvements

By removing the traffic, we are able to plant new trees and planting to make the area look and feel more pleasant. We also want to improve the lighting under the rail bridge, making it feel safer and introduce some street artwork to reflect the old Coborn Station history.

Antill Road and Coborn Road Proposals

Accessibility Improvements

We want to make walking one of the best ways to get around Bow.

Several roads are well-used walking routes but currently lack the features to make walking safe and accessible for all.

To fix this, we propose the introduction of appropriate dropped kerbs, safe crossing points and pavements wide enough for exploring the neighbourhoods easily.

A safe and convenient walking route, connecting public transport links south of the Roman Road Town Centre and north towards Victoria Park is a priority. To support a reduction in air pollution we want to encourage people to walk, rather than using their cars.

The Scheme 5 proposal details:

• Continuous crossings at all side-road junctions on St Stephen’s Road and Coborn Road to give visual priority to pedestrians.
• Decluttered pavements wide enough for buggies and wheelchairs where possible and dropped kerbs in all appropriate locations on Coborn Road, Tredegar Square, Morgan Road, Medway Road, Addington Road and Vernon Road.
• Improvements to the area around Tom Thumb’s Arch. Better lighting, new public art and a safer crossing area. If proposals are carried forward, there will be further local involvement on the new public artwork.
• A new zebra crossing is proposed on Malmesbury Road and a raised table at the Mostyn Grove, Ordell Road and Morville Street junction.
• Wayfinding upgrades to separate cycle and pedestrian routes on Lawrence Close and improvements to lighting and the planted area.
• Decluttering the pavements on Tredegar Road by removing the pedestrian guardrails.
• It is also proposed to slightly reposition the crossing at the junction with St Stephen’s Road to improve visibility of pedestrians and make the crossing safer.
• A new raised table on Tredegar Road near the junction with Coborn Road will make crossing easier and will slow down vehicles.
• We are also working with Old Ford Housing Association to improve the walking route along McCullum Road into Wright’s Road.

Example of an existing continuous crossingSt Stephen's Road Plan

Traffic Calming

We want to improve safety for pedestrians and motorists by slowing vehicle speeds on Fairfield Road, Parnell Road and Jodrell Road by introducing more raised tables. This includes raising zebra crossings on these roads to encourage vehicles to slow down in high pedestrian areas.

With less traffic travelling through Bow, we propose to also update the signal timing at the junction of Fairfield Road and the A11 to allow for a pedestrian crossing across the Fairfield Road arm of the junction.

Walking Improvements

To enable safer pedestrian crossing facilities, it is proposed the roundabout at Fairfield and Tredegar Road becomes a T-Junction.

Pedestrian crossing facilities include a zebra crossing on Tredegar Road and a pedestrian refuge island on Fairfield Road.

Complementary measures such as cycle hangars, play streets and cycle training are also included in the Liveable Streets Bow programme.

Fairfield Road Junction Plan

As part of our ongoing commitment to reduce emissions around schools, we are proposing to introduce School Streets in the area. This would enable streets to be closed to motor vehicles in the morning and afternoon of each school day to allow children, parents, and staff to get to and from school via walking, cycling or scooting in a safe, healthy environment.

School Streets

Roads outside schools will be closed to motor vehicles between 08:15am to 09:15am in the morning and 3:00pm to 4:00pm in the afternoon. This will enable children and parents to arrive and leave the schools safely and encourage more active travel.

Enforcement of school street restrictions will be done via Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras with all residents living on roads closed at school times eligible to apply for exemptions.

School Street Schools

• At Chisenhale Primary School, pedestrian and cycle zones on Vivian Road, Zealand Road and Chisenhale Road are proposed. Wider pavements and planting outside the school gate on Chisenhale Road, where existing yellow zig zag markings lie, are also included in the proposals.
• At Olga Primary School, pedestrian and cycle zones are proposed on Lanfranc Road and Conyer Street, with better lighting also under investigation on the walkway between Olga Street to Arbery Road.
• At Old Ford Primary School, pedestrian and cycle zones are proposed on Allen Road and a section of Wright’s Road to remove cars from outside the school gate and prevent resident carparks from being used at pick-up and drop-off. Timed pedestrian hours are also proposed for the Wright’s Road cul-de-sac off St Stephen’s Road, along with streetscape improvements and student-led designs for a colourful paving upgrade. These proposals create a playful, positive space.
• As part of Tower Hamlets School Streets programme outside Malmesbury Primary School, Coborn Street will be made a pedestrian and cycle zone between 8.15am to 9.15am and 3.00pm to 4.00pm on school days. New cycle parking and planted areas are also proposed.

Example of existing student-led School Street design in Tower Hamlets

To increase safety for children, staff and families at Central Foundation Girls School and Sixth Form proposals on Harley Grove were re-consulted in 2019. A decision will be released later this year.

To see all the proposed School Streets in the area, please see the overview plan.