Hello fellow cyclist! With the spring a-springing and the grass a-rizing, I hope you’re enjoying getting out on your bike riding for work, shopping or for some exercise but meanwhile, Havering Cyclists have still been campaigning and raising local cycling issues. Please read on for details. |
| PRESS FOR ACTION: LOCAL ELECTIONS 2026 Local authorities control all of the roads on which cycle lanes and infrastructure could be placed, so these elections are really important to us. From this week, election candidates will be out campaigning for votes in the local elections – and we have launched our Streets for Cycling campaign. We’re asking the leaders of each main party to pledge that, if elected as council leader, they will build a safe, connected cycle network. This is our opportunity to put safe cycling for people of all ages and abilities on the agenda! Transport for London has already identified the routes that will have the greatest impact in Havering and will provide funding to build them. We just need as many people as possible to let the leaders know that this issue is important to them. Please tell them what a safe cycle network in Havering would mean to you by using our email tool HERE. |
ENVIRONMENTAL HUSTING MEETING To make the case with prospective councillors for more and better cycle provision, Havering Cyclists as part of Havering Climate Coalition, organised a hustings meeting and the leaders of each of the parties were invited to come and speak. The event was covered in the LOCAL PRESS. |
| MARSH WAY IMPROVEMENTS The funding for this project to provide a section of segregated cycle path on Marsh Way on the railway bridge and other improvements is now fully agreed and the work is expected to be start by late Spring. This is an important project that we have been pushing for since the tragic deaths of two cyclists here in 2021. |
BASHING THOSE BARRIERS
Forestry England have finally listened to our calls to make their barriers on their sites more accessible and the awkward hoop barriers at the entrance to Ingrebourne Hill have been replaced with bollards.
Thank you Forestry England.
| MAIN ROAD Work to extend Havering’s one significant piece of decent cycling infrastructure that runs beside Main Road, Romford is expected to start in April. A further phase will be to extend it further as far as the Ring Road. HAVERING ACTIVE TRAVEL STRATEGY With only weeks to go for the current administration, the council have now approved their Active Travel Strategy. It’s a pity that it has taken so long but we are pleased to see that the strategy now links to the Healthy Streets Scorecard and that its first priority is to: “Better connect our cycle network through a combination of new protected cycle tracks, quiet way cycle routes, and improved crossings, particularly across arterial roads and into Romford town centre.” Well done havering council! You can see the whole document HERE. RAINHAM MARSHES RAMP You recall that the ramp that runs down from the railway bridge on NCN136 at Rainham has for some time had a dangerous step appear at its foot. The previous narrow temporary ramp with barriers to the side has now been replaced with a full-width temporary ramp. This is much safer but we still await a full repair. |
FUTURE EVENTS Our Dr Bike events have restarted for the season and next face-to-face meeting is in April which is also our AGM. We are planning another social evening. Please look out for our media posts about these events. SUPPORT OUR WORK Decent routes for cycling do not happen by accident. They have to be fought for. You can help us by supporting us on social media, by joining with us on our activities and by joining Havering Cyclists where your membership subscriptions will help fund our work. Please help us continue. https://www.haveringcyclists.org/join-us/ KEEP IN TOUCH Remember that you can sign up for news updates from our blog at https://www.haveringcyclists.org/blog/ by completing the subscription box in the right-hand panel. Please also get in touch to let us know you views on any of the above. You can contact us through our website www.haveringcyclists.org, through Facebook (Havering cyclists) or Bluesky (@cyclehavering.bsky.social). We also have an email discussion group at Cycle Forum Havering – Google Groups so please let us know if you would like to be added. |