Newham Council, in partnership with the Royal Docks Team, is to engage with local people in the Royal Docks Corridor to find out how they want the area to be designed to reflect its change from a predominantly industrial to an increasingly residential area.
When the Silvertown Way and North Woolwich Road were first conceived they were designed to support the heavy industry which operated in and around the Royal Docks. But time has transformed the area – and the number of Newham residents who now call this area home is increasing daily.
In line with the council’s Newham Climate Now agenda, the new design will need to make it easier, safer and more convenient for people to walk, cycle and use public transport. Improvements to air quality will be achieved by reducing the overall level and speed of traffic in the area. There will also be improved access to the DLR stations, a reliable bus service and better walking routes. The emphasis will be on making the area people friendly with more greenery, better lighting and wider footpaths, to create a pleasant environment in which to live and travel.
All the objectives of the scheme will be consistent with the Mayor of London’s Transport Strategy and Transport for London’s Healthy Streets project.
To ensure the council gets it right, it plans to conduct a community engagement process, with residents at the heart of delivering ideas, proposals and the final plan.
Construction of the new Royal Docks Corridor will begin in 2022 and is expected to take approximately two years to complete.
Graham Cox, Commissioning Lead for Highways, Traffic and Sustainable Transport said: “This is a really exciting opportunity for the people who live in this new and emerging neighbourhood to put their own stamp on their local environment. We really want people to make suggestions and help us develop the area into somewhere where people come first.”
In the meantime there are some interim improvements the council has made to address key road safety issues for the increasing number of Royal Docks Corridor residents.
The current road layout is not appropriate for a residential area, in particular the road widths are excessive, leading to high traffic volumes and vehicle speeds. There are also issues with the number and location of pedestrian crossings, making it unsafe for pedestrians in the area. The council wants to act quickly to address these issues, in the interest of safety for residents and people visiting the area.
The interim improvements include introducing a new zebra crossing, improving existing crossing points, installing speed warning signs and using road markings to redefine the road layout.
Royal Docks Corridor: Silvertown Way and North Woolwich Road
The council want to find out what the main issues are for people in the local area and it’s inviting any suggestions or ideas residents have, or any feedback on the council’s initial design ideas.
Residents can share their views by completing the online questionnaire www.pclconsult.co.uk/royaldockscorridor by Monday 16 December 2019.
There will also be opportunities to join drop-in sessions to speak to a members of the council on:
- Thursday 28 November, 10am - 1pm Britannia Village Hall, 65 Evelyn Road, E16 1TU
- Wednesday 4 December, 12pm - 3pm Royal Docks Learning & Activity Centre, Albert Road, E16 2JB
- Monday 9 December, 2pm - 5pm Canning Town Library, Barking Road, E16 4HQ
If you have any questions about the project please contact go to: northwoolwichroad@newham.gov.uk