The A11 Whitechapel Road / Mile End Road is an important part of London’s road network, carrying several bus routes and thousands of motor vehicles every day. Cycle Superhighway 2 runs between Aldgate and Stratford Broadway, mostly along separated cycle lanes, with short sections using bus lanes. We have been working on a proposal to extend the bus lane on the A11 Mile End Road to improve bus journey times and provide a more reliable service for our bus customers.
We want to hear from you about these proposals. You can share your views by using the Guestbook below.
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The A11 Whitechapel Road / Mile End Road is an important part of London’s road network, carrying several bus routes and thousands of motor vehicles every day. Cycle Superhighway 2 runs between Aldgate and Stratford Broadway, mostly along separated cycle lanes, with short sections using bus lanes. We have been working on a proposal to extend the bus lane on the A11 Mile End Road to improve bus journey times and provide a more reliable service for our bus customers.
We want to hear from you about these proposals. You can share your views by using the Guestbook below.
Why we are proposing these changes
We want to encourage people to walk, cycle and use public transport for their journeys where possible. One way of doing this is to make bus journeys more reliable and provide a safer environment for people cycling.
The extension of existing bus lanes will enable buses to bypass most of the queuing traffic during busy periods. The minor changes to the eastbound cycle lane will improve safety for people cycling along this section, as well as reducing the risk of conflict between people walking, cycling, and using public transport.
How these proposals may affect you
We are proposing to extend both the eastbound and westbound bus lanes, change parking and loading bays and alter the eastbound cycle lane. Full details of the changes can be found in our Documents section.
These proposals would benefit hundreds of bus passengers who use this route everyday including 25, 205, N25, N205. It would mean improved overall journey times and service reliability.
Have your say
We would like to hear your views before we further develop this scheme. If you have any comments or concerns that you would like to share about this scheme, please use the Guestbook located below. You can also email us at haveyoursay@tfl.gov.uk or write to us at FREEPOST TFL HAVE YOUR SAY.
Type of conversation:
I don't think adding a bus lane in front of coop and making the nearside lane left turn only is a very good idea. But I do like the idea of cutting into the pavement to add the loading bay there. You could also make improvements by adding pedestrian lights At Globe Road and White Horse Lane.
Changes maybe necessary in some parts as long as it don't cause more congestion ,pollution and emissions and bring in a law that cycle users have to use THE CYCLE LANES because I DONT FEEL SAFE IN THEIR PRESENCE .
I believe that driving eastbound from whitechapel to Mile End that you should be able to turn right into B121 Stepney Green again. If Globe Road is 20 Mile and hour speed limit there can be speed cameras and you could replace some zebra crossings with traffic lights.
I believe making the nearside lane left into Globe Road and adding a bus lane is Not a very good idea. I do like the idea of cutting into the pavement to put the loading bay there. I also believe that pedestrian lights can be added on Globe Road and White Horse Lane on Stepney Green Junction.
I strongly support the principle of bus priority measures, but cannot support any changes to Globe Road junction that do not include signalised or priority pedestrian crossings on the northern and southern arms of this busy junction, nor eliminate the left-hook risk for people cycling (early release signals are OK but useless if you arrive when the traffic light is green.)
You must provide pedestrian crossings on all arms of this junction (signalised or priority). If your modelling says this will affect bus journey times—tough. Your bus passengers become pedestrians at some point and will sooner or later need to dice with death when crossing Globe Road or White Horse Lane.
I agree with most of the proposal, under the assumption that space is not unreasonably taken from pedestrians to inlay parking/loading.
I, too, would like to see completion of the segregated cycleway and better policing of speeding along the A11. I'd also echo the need for a pedestrian crossing with Globe Road, that there isn't feels like an incredible oversight.
This is good - but needs to go further - a pedestrian crossing at Globe Road, dedicated segregated bike lane through Whitechapel etc
I regularly travel through this area on foot and by bike and in general strongly support these proposals which will improve bus journey times, retain existing parking and continue segregation of the existing cycle lane. One comment questions the need for a dedicated left turn lane for Cephas Street, and I too agree that such a lane is unnecessary.
I agree with the previous comments that, although potentially out of the scope of this scheme, a pedestrian crossing should be prioritised at the Globe Road junction. It currently provides an unacceptable level of service for pedestrians outside a major transport hub and is not in accordance with Vision Zero. Extension of the cycle lane segregation at Whitechapel Market should also be considered.
Personally, I believe that it is a great idea and the plan should go ahead. Along with the other comments, I also believe that a pedestrian crossing should be added at Globe road junction in Mile End.
There is currently no pedestrian traffic light at the junction of the A11 with Globe Road; this makes it scary and dangerous for blind, partially sighted, and slower pedestrians. Please take the opportunity, working with Tower Hamlets as necessary, to get a pedestrian crossing installed alongside the bus lane changes.
Regarding the proposal for 83-89 Mile End Road, this is an area where there are often long queues. However, immediately after the bus stop, on the approach to the traffic lights, there is no bus lane and buses still need to join the queues at this point. On the rare occasions that the current loading bay has a vehicle in it (as lorries that unload tend to cross over the cycle lane and unload in the space between the cycle lane and the cycle hire docking station), it is usually not a big deal for buses to move into the lane of traffic and back into the bus lane. Even if it is, the proposal will not stop buses having to use the main traffic lane immediately after the bus stop. It might be possible to find a way of swapping the bus stop with the loading bay instead - this might be cheaper, and it will have exactly the same benefit for the buses as the proposed scheme, given the need for the buses to join the main traffic after the bus stop.
Regarding the proposal outside 193-197 Mile End Road, this area is immediately after a set of lights, where it is much easier for buses to move into the main traffic lane, should the bus lane be blocked by an unloading vehicle. The proposed scheme will therefore only be of limited (if any) benefit for bus journeys, but the resulting lack of space for pedestrians at this point will make it even more dangerous to cross Globe Road than it currently is. I believe that the possible occasional benefit for bus passengers is unlikely outweigh the additional risk to pedestrians caused by the proposal and therefore object to this proposal.
I agree with the proposals, but would like you to add a pedestrian crossing to the Globe Road junction at Mile End Rd - this area has many blind and disabled pedestrians, who currently have no way to cross this junction. Recent road improvement schemes in the area mystifyingly omitted to add pedestrian crossings here, at a very tricky road junction to cross
I support the proposal. I also agree with the comments that the cycle lanes need to be complete along the full stretch. Also, this road needs a 20mph speed limit and cameras – drivers evidently choose to speed down here. Can you update the buses also? Many are outdated and are incredibly noisy.
I agree with most of the proposal.
Would add a pedestrian crossing and lights to the junction of Globe Rd and Mile End Rd eastbound as this is a fairly dangerous crossing for pedestrians with traffic from both east and westbound Mile End Rd turning into Globe Rd.
Cephas Avenue is filtered up to Osier Street so unless you are delivering or live there I feel that dedicating the nearside lane for vehicles turning left is unnecessary.
The disabled and loading/unloading only parking needs very strict enforcement.
With regard to the cycle lane, I feel that this should be straighter as making this so would avoid accidents.
I support this, as the new bits of bus lane will be helpful and generally the bits of pavement which are lost are underutilised anyway. However, it's important to make sure that the cycle track doesn't become too wiggly. There should also be more ambitious plans for the stretch, including continuous pavements, finishing the cycleway along Whitechapel and around Stepney Green.
I strongly support extending the bus lane here. However it is disappointing not to see work planned for a segregated cycle lane eastbound running past Whitechapel Market, as currently this is unsafe and dangerous for people cycling.
Strongly support. Although I live in SE17 I travel through this area on a bike. This scheme will help improve actual and perceived safety on this important section of Mile End Rd