230 bus route improvements

We’re making changes to the 230 bus route along Fyfield Road to make the service more reliable and accessible. The 230 bus route currently operates as a ‘Hail and Ride’ service in the final section between Wood Street Station and Bisterne Avenue, meaning passengers can request to get on or off at any time. However, this can make it difficult for passengers to plan their journeys and know where to access the service. 

We want to address this by introducing two new bus stops on Avon Road and Fyfield Road, which will provide a dedicated place for people to get on and off the bus and be designed to allow buses to pull up closer to the kerb, making it easier for people with mobility aids and pushchairs to get on and off the bus. 

To introduce the two new bus stops on Avon Road and Fyfield Road, we proposed the following changes: 

• Close the northern arm of Avon Road at the junction with Fyfield Road. This will help reduce the amount of parking that needs to be removed, simplify the junction for pedestrians and provide an easy and safe route to the new bus stop, and create space for more greenery. The southern arm of Avon Road will remain open for two-way traffic
• Reduce parking provision at three locations, to make space for the new bus stops. 

Alongside improvements to the bus route, we also proposed some further improvements to the area to make walking and cycling along Fyfield Road more enjoyable. The proposals are shown on the map in the public consultation leaflet which you can find in the useful documents below, and include the following: 

• Make the traffic calming consistent, using asphalt speed cushions across the area that are compatible with bus travel
• Narrow the Fyfield Road/ Upper Walthamstow Road junction and introduce a raised table to make crossing the road easier and safer
• Create new rain garden planters to improve drainage in the area as well as increase the biodiversity.

On 30 November 2023, a consultation leaflet was delivered to about 1,530 properties, inviting local people to comment on the plans between 1 and 22 December 2023.

A total of 104 people took part in the public consultation survey and shared their views on the scheme. 

Thank you to everyone who shared their thoughts. All the feedback has been analysed and taken into consideration when finalising the plans for area. 

Due to the feedback received, we made the following changes to the scheme:

• The existing hail and ride point at the junction of Bisterne Avenue and Avon Road will be retained and upgraded to a bus stop
• Additional parking has been introduced at the junction of Fyfield Road and Avon Road in place of the bus stop that was proposed as part of the consultation scheme. This will offset the additional parking reduction required to upgrade the Hail and Ride stop at the junction of Bisterne Avenue and Avon Road to a fully accessible fixed stop. Overall, the changes mean a total reduction in 9 parking spaces across the area, as per the scheme originally consulted on.

To read more about the consultation results, please read the ‘Consultation update leaflet’ in the ‘Useful documents’ section below. 

The plans underwent statutory consultation from 4 July and 25 July 2024 and was subsequently approved by Waltham Forest Council.

We are now coordinating with Thames Water to finalise a construction date, with work beginning in March 2025.

230 bus route improvements, consultation leaflet: November 2023 (PDF)

230 bus route improvements, consultation update leaflet: July 2024 (PDF)

230 bus route improvements, Bisterne Avenue construction notice - February 2025 (PDF)

230 bus route improvements, general construction notice - February 2025 (PDF)

230 bus route improvements, Upper Walthamstow construction notice - February 2025 (PDF)