Shoreditch High Street junction with Great Eastern Street - Improving safety

This consultation is focused on proposals to improve road safety at the junction of Shoreditch High Street and Great Eastern Street. This is part of our continuing programme of safety improvements in Shoreditch.

Use the following buttons to find out more about what is proposed and how to have your say.

You have until Friday 12 September 2025 to give us your feedback.

Proposals

We are working on various schemes to improve road safety in the Shoreditch area. We recently consulted on changes to the junction of Great Eastern Street and Curtain Road. We are now consulting on a larger proposal focused on the junction at Shoreditch High Street and Great Eastern Street. Together these changes aim to make it easier, safer and more comfortable to walk, wheel and cycle in Shoreditch.

Please see map below for overview of changes. Detailed maps are available in the 'More Information' section.

Summary map of the changes to improve road safety at the Shoreditch High Street junction with Great Eastern Street / Commercial Road

(Click on map for larger version)

Changes for pedestrians

We’re making a number of changes to help pedestrians cross more easily and safely:

At the main junction of Shoreditch High Street with Great Eastern Street and Commercial Street, all pedestrian crossings will be widened from 2.8 metres to 4 metres which will provide more space for people crossing the road
The left turn slip road from Shoreditch High Street into Commercial Street would be removed to accommodate a new straight crossing and more footway space for pedestrians, making it easier for them to cross
A new pedestrian crossing with countdown indicators would be introduced on the south side of Shoreditch High Street at the junction of Holywell Lane and Bethnal Green Road junction. This would give pedestrians more direct, easy access to Shoreditch High Street Station
The existing pedestrian crossing on the northern side of Shoreditch High Street and Holywell Lane would be widened from 2.8 metres to 4 metres
The crossing on Bethnal Green Road would be a new ‘straight-across’ crossing and widened from 2.6 metres to 3.6 metres to increase space for pedestrians and make it easier for them to cross
There would also be a new bus stop bypass at stop N to help bus passengers access the stop and separate waiting bus passengers from cyclists
There would be new signalised crossings on the western end of Holywell Lane, at its junction with Great Eastern Street

Changes for cyclists

For cyclists heading northbound along Shoreditch High Street, there would be a new signalised cycle ‘feeder’ lane at the junction of Shoreditch High Street with Norton Folgate
The feeder lane would enable cyclists to access the new 19.9 metres cycle ‘gate’ at the junction of Shoreditch High Street and Norton Folgate. A cycle gate is essentially deepened Advanced Stop Lines to give cyclists priority through the junction with a dedicated signal phase to improve safety
For cyclists heading southbound on Shoreditch High Street, there would also be an 18 metres cycle gate to give cyclists priority through the junction
A new 2 metres wide, southbound cycle lane along the length of Shoreditch High Street between Rivington Street and Commercial Street. This would create a continuous, protected route for cyclists
At the junction of Shoreditch High Street and Bethnal Green Road, we would deepen the Advanced Stop Lines to 7.5 metres and provide an ‘early start’ signal for cyclists, to allow them to move off before general traffic and buses
The introduction of a banned left turn from Shoreditch High Street into Bethnal Green Road except for buses. This would improve road safety and reduce the risk of collisions between cyclists travelling straight on, and vehicles turning left into Bethnal Green Road
Holywell Lane would be closed for motorised traffic (except buses, cyclists and loading from 10:00 - 16:00)
There would also be no motorised traffic access allowed from Plough Yard into Norton Folgate, making the areas safer for everyone
We also propose removing a small section of cycle lane close to the junction of Hackney Road and Shoreditch High Street. We think this would encourage cyclists to stop at the Advance Stop Line on Hackney Road which we believe would improve road safety here

Changes for Bus users

New bus stop bypass on Shoreditch High Street by bus stop N to separate cyclists and bus passengers
The bus stop outside 74 Shoreditch High Street would be relocated a short distance to outside 100 Shoreditch Street, to make room for the new bus stop bypass
The existing bus stand outside 100 Shoreditch High Street would be relocated to outside 116 Shoreditch High Street to allow bus drivers to be able to access the upgraded bus drivers toilet facilities on Calvert Avenue
A proposed new section of bus lane on Shoreditch High Street/Bethnal Green Road to give buses priority accessing the junction and improve journey times

Changes for drivers

Motorised traffic would no longer be able to turn left from Shoreditch High Street into Bethnal Green Road to improve pedestrian and cyclist safety
Motorised traffic would no longer be permitted on Holywell Lane (except buses, cyclists and loading from 10:00 - 16:00)
There would also be no motorised traffic access allowed from Plough Yard into Norton Folgate, making the areas safer for everyone
The left turn slip road on Shoreditch High Street southbound would be removed to create more footway space and accommodate a new wider pedestrian crossing
Drivers wishing to turn left from Shoreditch High Street into Commercial Street can still do so, but at the signalised junction
The number of traffic lanes on Shoreditch High Street between New Inn Yard and Bethnal Green Road would be reduced from two lanes for traffic to one lane, to enable us to introduce a cycle lane and a section of bus lane here

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Impacts

If you are cycling

City street with red double-decker buses, including route 47, in a marked bus lane We have made cyclist safety a priority in response to feedback gathered from our previous consultation. This scheme aims to improve cyclist safety by introducing new “with flow” (one way following the direction of traffic) cycle lanes southbound and providing more space on the roads for both cyclists and pedestrians. Travelling northbound, an existing bus lane and bus gate limits the general flow of traffic on Shoreditch High Street.

We also propose to ban traffic from turning left from Shoreditch High Street into Bethnal Green Road and deepening Advanced Stop Lines at all arms of junctions along Shoreditch High Street. These provide greater separation between cyclists and vehicles moving through the junctions, improving safety for all.

If you are walking

This scheme would have a positive impact on pedestrians, particularly disabled people and during busy times. This is because our scheme would create more space for pedestrians on Shoreditch High Street and make crossings in the area easier to navigate due to new, wider signalised crossings. Our scheme would also improve conditions for commuters by introducing a new direct crossing outside of Shoreditch High Street Station.

If you are travelling by bus

At the junction of Shoreditch High Street/ Bethnal Green Road/ Holywell Lane our traffic modelling indicates negligible impacts to bus services in both morning and evening peaks, with the junction operating within capacity. Bus journeys on Holywell Lane will improve in both the morning and evening peak with the removal of general traffic from the approach during these times.

At the junction of Shoreditch High Street/ Great Eastern Street/ Commercial Street our traffic modelling indicates negligible impacts to bus services in both morning and evening peaks, with the junction operating within capacity.

There would be a new bus stop bypass at bus stop N. There would be a new zebra crossing at the bus stop bypass to help bus passengers access the bus stop.

If you are travelling by car, van or a motorcycle

The left turns from Shoreditch High Street into Bethnal Green Road would no longer be permitted, and Plough Yard and Holywell Lane would be closed to general traffic. General traffic lanes will also be reduced in number along Shoreditch High Street.

At the junction of Shoreditch High Street/ Bethnal Green Road/ Holywell Lane and at the junction of Shoreditch High Street/ Great Eastern Street/ Commercial our traffic modelling indicates negligible impacts to general traffic in the morning peak, with the junction operating within capacity.

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