No doubt you’ll be more than aware of the many improvements going on around the wider neighbourhood. Pictured above is a very freshly done-up stretch of Leyton’s now-pedestrianized Francis Road, snapped on a typically grey (and deserted) January morning this week.
And – since it’s signposted everywhere, with info on everything from new routes to trees being planted – you’ll also be aware that it’s all part of what they’re calling Mini Holland.
Not familiar with it, or been walking round, zombie-like, face-down on your phone? Well, back in 2013, all 18 outer London boroughs were invited to apply for funding from the Mayor of London’s Mini-Hollands fund. Waltham Forest was one of just three (Enfield and Kingston being the others) selected to share the stash of money.
With a funding pot of – gulp – £30 million from TFL and the Mayor of London, the big plan is to “change our streets to make them fit for everyone to use, whether you walk, cycle, use public transport or drive.”
LOCAL ADVERTISING
They go on to say they want to make the borough “more enjoyable for everybody, with an ambitious programme of regeneration activities borough wide.”
Which obviously is pure #platitude. So next week we’re bringing you our very own cyclist’s complete guide to the changes across the area, and whether they’re a success (or otherwise), together with an interview with the bloke from the council responsible for the Mini Holland programme.
But for now we want to know: what do you think of the changes to Leyton and Leytonstone so far? Good, bad or could-do-better?
