A £150 million package of proposed walking and cycling improvements in the Olympic park has been unveiled in a bid to encourage more residents and visitors to travel on foot or by bike.
The 26 schemes include reducing Westfield Avenue - the main road through the park and shopping centre - from four lanes of vehicle traffic to two to create space for a segregated cycle lane.
Park chiefs plan to “retro-fit” cycle crossings, landscaping, bridges and underpasses to improve access to and from the park and encourage “active travel” over car use.
Monique van den Hurk, walking and cycling project manager at the London Legacy Development Corporation, which oversees the park, said the aim was to improve connections with the surrounding boroughs – Hackney, Newham, Tower Hamlets and Waltham Forest.
Six projects have already been delivered, including an underpass at Hackney Wick station and a bridge at Monier Road.
Work is underway at Honour Lea Avenue – in what used to be the athletes’ village. A segregated cycle track will open in Carpenters Road, alongside the aquatic centre, in September. The redesign of Westfield Avenue is due to start next year.
Cyclists have long complained at the lack of protected cycle lanes on the roads approaching, around and through the park – though there are wide car-free boulevards throughout the centre of the park.
The park was renamed the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park after hosting the 2012 Games.
Ms van den Hurk said the LLDC would be relying on Transport for London, Olympic park developers and borough councils to help fund the schemes. TfL requires organisations seeking funding to draw up detailed proposals before it considers whether to offer funding.
The park is a catalyst for people to walk and cycle,” she said. “It a great opportunity: because we do have a lot of wide roads and open space, there is the space to put in cycling infrastructure.
“We are creating a lot of homes in the area. They are car-free homes. To facilitate people living here easily, cycling is an obvious alternative mode of travel. The way to do that is to put in segregated cycling.
“It’s an opportunity to shift the balance from car traffic to cycling. We are really kind of reverting back to some ideas that existed in cities pre-Second World War.”
Westfield Avenue will be narrowed to one lane of traffic in either direction, creating space for a two-way cycle track.
“There will be about 80 trees – we will really transform the beauty of the street,” she said. “It will be a really nice entrance into the park.”
Will Norman, London’s walking and cycling commissioner, said the proposals were “really positive”.
He said: “We are seeing a massive shift in the number of people living, working and going to school in the park.
“Frankly, when the park was originally designed, walking and cycling weren’t such a priority for Londoners. That is the case now.”
In addition, the charity Bikeworks has opened London’s first “inclusive cycling centre” at Chobham Manor, helped with a £55,000 Olympic legacy donation. This offers people of all ages and those with disabilities an introduction to cycling, using a range of adapted bikes.
One rider, Zubee, who has cerebral palsy, said cycling was a great way to exercise. “It gives me a chance to get out of the house and meet with other club members and socialise on a weekly basis,” he said.
“As I don’t drive or get out and about as much as I would like to, cycling gives me a sense of freedom to take myself around the park without having to rely on others.”
Jonathan Rothwell, of Newham cyclists, said there had been a “real improvement” in cycling facilities in the park in recent years.
“What we are now seeing are things that are much higher quality,” he said. “What needs to be improved are the roads through the Olympic park. A lot of those are at least 20 years behind in quality of design.
“One thing that is really important is connecting into the Olympic park from the surrounding boroughs. The Olympic legacy should be for everyone.”
