Whipps Cross corridor transport scheme

Whipps Cross Road plays an important role in our borough’s transport network, linking Lea Bridge Road and Wood Street with Leytonstone and Redbridge, and providing access to key locations like Whipps Cross University Hospital and Hollow Ponds in Epping Forest. We want to make sure that Whipps Cross Road is safe and works well for all road users, particularly those using active and sustainable modes of travel. This will help improve access to key amenities such as Epping Forest and will support the future redevelopment of Whipps Cross Hospital.

In 2024 we proposed a range of improvements to address issues and concerns around motor traffic dominance, safety and speeding. These included reducing the width of the road and increasing the amount of space for walking and cycling, introducing new and safer crossing points, and improving the way the area looks and feels by increasing trees and greenery to make it a more enjoyable place to travel through.

We also proposed to create two separate paths for walking and cycling on the northern (Hollow Ponds) side of Whipps Cross Road. The current shared use path was introduced in 2012 and is regularly used by people walking and cycling. We want to upgrade it to provide dedicated spaces for people walking and cycling, so that it is consistent with other routes in the borough including Lea Bridge Road and the routes under the Green Man Roundabout. We proposed this to improve safety, make it easier for everyone to move through the area and to encourage more people to travel actively and sustainably where they can.

As well as upgrading the cycle path, we are addressing issues around motor traffic dominance, safety and speeding, introducing safer crossing points, and improving the way the area looks and feels by increasing trees and greenery to make it a more enjoyable place to travel through. 

Our proposals for Whipps Cross Road included the following improvements: 

• Upgrade the shared path on Whipps Cross Road between Lea Bridge Road and the Green Man Roundabout by replacing it with separated pedestrian and cycle paths.
• Improve some side road junctions and accesses by introducing continuous footways at the entrances to the Hollow Pond Boat House car park and the Leyton Flats car park to signal to drivers that pedestrians and cyclists have right of way and to provide a smoother, uninterrupted path for those walking and cycling.
• Upgrade the current pedestrian and cycle crossing at the Whipps Cross University Hospital entrance at Hospital Road to a full traffic signal junction. The new traffic signal junction will have green man pedestrian crossing points on all arms and include a traffic light phase for people cycling to get from the cycle track into Hospital Road.
• Upgrade the traffic signal junction where James Lane exits onto Whipps Cross Road by adding a traffic light phase for pedestrians on both James Lane and Whipps Cross Road.
• Upgrade the current crossings at Forest Glade and one near Green Man Roundabout to provide separate space and traffic light phases for people walking and cycling.
• Install new bat-friendly lighting. Bats can be sensitive to light which can disrupt their feeding, mating, and migration patterns. The new lighting will reduce these disruptions while still providing visibility for people.
• Introduce planting with modified soil types to enhance water absorption and improve drainage.
• Plant greening and around 45 new trees along the route. Although we have worked hard to minimise tree loss, we will need to remove up to 15 small trees. However, we are replacing these and proposing to plant more, resulting in a biodiversity net gain.
• Introduce a new traffic signal crossing by Preston Road. Similar to the upgraded crossings at Forest Glade and near Green Man Roundabout, the crossing will have separate space and phases for people walking and cycling.   
• Introduce a traffic calming table near the entrance to the Lakeside Whipps Cross Diner and The Log Cabin to reduce vehicle speeds and make it easier to access the car park.
• There are no changes to parking along the route and the new cycle path does not encroach on City of London land on the Hollow Ponds side.

Proposals

The video below shows what we are proposing for the area.

To view the plans and update, see the ‘useful documents’ section below. 

What you told us

Public consultation on the proposals took place from 21 October to 18 November 2024, offering local people a range of ways to get involved. People shared their views through an online survey, attending a drop-in session at Leytonstone School on 9 November, and providing feedback via email. All responses were carefully reviewed and considered. A total of 630 respondents answered the online survey. The results and a list of some of the key issues raised and how we are addressing these can be found in the consultation update leaflet in the 'Useful documents' section.

How we used your feedback 

When deciding whether to progress with the scheme we considered the consultation results alongside traffic data from the area and our overall objectives to improve air quality and public health and address the climate crises.

Given the positive feedback from the community and the clear need to make Whipps Cross Road safer and more accessible for its users, a decision was made to progress the scheme.

A list of some of the key issues raised and how we are addressing these can be found in the consultation update leaflet in the 'Documents' section.

Construction

In January and February 2026, workers will be on site undertaking trial hole excavations to confirm lighting column locations and associated ducting alongside checking and finalising construction depths and completing other site investigations along the length of the road. This is to ensure that the road is ready for main construction to begin, which we anticipate will be towards the end of February 2026.

Once these site investigations and preparatory works are complete, we intend to begin construction of the main scheme in sections, starting with Section 1. Section 1 includes the area between the pedestrian/cycle path entrance to the Green Man Roundabout to James Lane. Please see plan in the ‘Useful documents’ section below. 

We will continue to keep you updated as the works progress. 

Whipps Cross Corridor update leaflet, December 2025 (PDF)

Whipps Cross Corridor public consultation leaflet, October 2024 (PDF)

Whipps Cross Corridor scheme plans, December 2025 (PDF)

Whipps Cross Corridor – construction letter – January 2026

Whipps Cross Corridor – construction section plan – January 2026