230 bus route improvements

We’re making changes to the 230 bus route along Fyfield Road to make the service more reliable and accessible. The 230 bus route currently operates as a ‘Hail and Ride’ service in the final section between Wood Street Station and Bisterne Avenue, meaning passengers can request to get on or off at any time. However, this can make it difficult for passengers to plan their journeys and know where to access the service. 

We want to address this by introducing two new bus stops on Avon Road and Fyfield Road, which will provide a dedicated place for people to get on and off the bus and be designed to allow buses to pull up closer to the kerb, making it easier for people with mobility aids and pushchairs to get on and off the bus. 

To introduce the two new bus stops on Avon Road and Fyfield Road, we proposed the following changes: 

• Close the northern arm of Avon Road at the junction with Fyfield Road. This will help reduce the amount of parking that needs to be removed, simplify the junction for pedestrians and provide an easy and safe route to the new bus stop, and create space for more greenery. The southern arm of Avon Road will remain open for two-way traffic
• Reduce parking provision at three locations, to make space for the new bus stops. 

Alongside improvements to the bus route, we also proposed some further improvements to the area to make walking and cycling along Fyfield Road more enjoyable. The proposals are shown on the map in the public consultation leaflet which you can find in the useful documents below, and include the following: 

• Make the traffic calming consistent, using asphalt speed cushions across the area that are compatible with bus travel
• Narrow the Fyfield Road/ Upper Walthamstow Road junction and introduce a raised table to make crossing the road easier and safer
• Create new rain garden planters to improve drainage in the area as well as increase the biodiversity.

On 30 November 2023, a consultation leaflet was delivered to approximately 1,530 properties, inviting local people to comment on the plans between 1 and 22 December 2023. 

A total of 104 people took part in the public consultation survey and shared their views on the scheme.

A summary of the consultation results is outlined below:

• What is your connection with the area?
  • I live here 93% 
  • I work here 2% 
  • I visit people here 5% 
• How do you feel about the 230 bus route proposals overall? 
  • Negative and somewhat negative 49% 
  • Positive and somewhat positive 41% 
  • Neutral 10% 
• How do you feel about the traffic calming proposals? 
  • Negative and somewhat negative 20% 
  • Positive and somewhat positive 65% 
  • Neutral 15% 
• How do you feel about the proposal to create new rain gardens? 
  • Negative and somewhat negative 7% 
  • Positive and somewhat positive 80% 
  • Neutral 13% 

The top reasons people felt positive towards the proposals were due to the improvements to traffic calming and speed reduction measures, new public spaces and rain gardens, and accessibility improvements for bus users and pedestrians. 

The top reasons people felt negative towards the proposals were due to concerns over localised parking loss, bus stop location changes, and respondents feeling that the changes are not needed. In response to these concerns a number of changes have been made to the proposals as outlined in the scheme update section below. 

During the consultation, some respondents requested that we introduce more traffic management changes such as modal filters or a low traffic neighbourhood. Unfortunately, this is beyond the scope of the 230 bus stop improvements proposals, however the feedback has been noted and may be investigated in the future. If you have concerns with traffic numbers and speeds in the area, please write to us using the contacts details at the bottom of the page.

Thank you to everyone who took part in the consultation and provided valuable feedback on the proposals. All the feedback has been analysed and taken into consideration when finalising the plans for area, and because of your feedback we have made the following changes to the scheme: 

• The existing hail and ride point at the junction of Bisterne Avenue and Avon Road will be retained and upgraded to a bus stop
• Additional parking has been introduced at the junction of Fyfield Road and Avon Road in place of the bus stop that was proposed as part of the consultation scheme. This will offset the additional parking reduction required to upgrade the Hail and Ride stop at the junction of Bisterne Avenue and Avon Road to a fully accessible fixed stop. Overall, the changes mean a total reduction in 9 parking spaces across the area, as per the scheme originally consulted on.

Now that the scheme has been finalised, we will move to the Statutory Consultation stage and advertise the necessary Traffic Management Order changes (changes to parking bays and yellow lines) that are needed to deliver the scheme. 

The Traffic Management Order changes will be advertised in the East London and West Essex Guardian on 4 July 2024. In addition to this leaflet, street notices will be displayed in the area with details of the Traffic Management Order changes. 

The Statutory Consultation will take place between 4 and 25 July 2024, and during this time local people can write to us with comments on the final scheme. If you would like to provide feedback on the final scheme please contact the Enjoy Waltham Forest Team quoting “230 Bus Route” in the subject line of the email or letter and send it to the contact details, at the bottom of the page, before 25 July 2024 (please include your name and address). 

Following the statutory consultation, we will review any further feedback received and write to the local community again with an update on the next steps planned works.

230 bus route improvements, consultation leaflet – November 2023 (PDF)

230 bus route improvements - update leaflet and stat consultation - July 2024 (PDF)