Public Inquiry

Waltham Forest Council carried out works to turn a pedestrian route into a joint pedestrian and cycle route without consulting all the local residents affected.

These works were carried out before the expiry of the Traffic Order time for objections and are therefore not currently legal as we understand the situation.

Allowing cyclists to cut across pedestrians in this dangerous manner is exactly why such short-cuts have always had barriers and signs asking cyclists to dismount. This has never caused any problems in the past.

Since the works have been carried out, there have been several incidents of near misses of bikes and pedestrians, and one much more alarming of a motorbike and a young girl. When the father complained to Clyde Loakes, instead of admitting the mistake they have made, the father was told that police would be asked to "keep an eye out" for motorcyclists using the alleyway. This is not good enough.

A public inquiry was scheduled for September 5th and everyone hoped that the barriers would be re-installed following the hearing. However it turns out that LBWF had "forgotten" to put the correct notice in the local paper and the inquiry is now deferred until FEBRUARY 2018.

WFS4A have asked that the barriers be put back until after the inquiry, and would ask that our supporters write to cllr.clyde.loakes@walthamforest.gov.uk demanding the same. Thank you.

Here is the article published in the local Guardian about the situation.