Stepney to stratford

hi all does anyone know the best route to get from stepney green to stratford station avoiding the hideous A11? My girlfriend is going to be commuting that way, and understandably doesn't want to be on that road. cheers

Bit of a bugger trying to avoid the A11, might be a route alongside one of the canals but it would add a lot of distance.

That A11 flyover is the bees knees. I know that does't help at all.

What Neil said, only real way to avoid the A11 is to make the whole journey a lot longer, if she's not that confident tackling busy roads yet maybe see if you can get her out on some cycle training?

any non a11 route she takes is likely to be circuitous invloving many junctions.

and it is sometimes at these junctions that risks increase.

i would say use a11.

but write to lbth and lbn and your mp pointing out the problem and ask for better facilities for cyclists / 20 mph on a11.

and in particular speed bumps on the flyover and the approaches to it.

good luck.

drop down to limehouse cut canalway / path up to bromley by bow on up to three mills ( all via the canal ) and onto the A11 for about 1/2 mile last little section

and in particular speed bumps on the flyover and the approaches to it.

Don't do this bit.

you can go over or under the A12 near Wick Rd. After that the Olympic site rather gets in the way, but you can do the greenway and rejoin the A11 at a much safer point.

The attached google map will show you the nearest locations for fried chicken on arrival in Stratford. My recommendation is Kennedy Fried Chicken at the Stratford Plaza. Tell them Balki sent you for free apple tango.

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=chicken&sll=51.538221,0.007811&sspn=0.016229,0.104971&ie=UTF8&ll=51.542225,0.008669&spn=0.016228,0.104971&z=14

Like BlueQuinn said, Greenway is a good option. From Stepney, you could go up Cambridge Heath Road, then through Victoria Park, and then join the Greenway at Hackney Wick. Follow the Greenway til it crosses the A11 (impossible to miss), and then you're only on that hideous road for a few minutes til you get to Stratford.

Or you could go nuts and head towards Devons Rd DLR on that long wiggly St Paul's Way/Devons Rd/Devas St road, then join Manor Road and get to Stratford via West Ham, but it seems a very long route, which I've never done, and looking at Google Maps there seem to be a few odd junctions.

I reckon the Vicky Park/Greenway is the best option, and after a while of regularly doing that stretch of the A11 she'll probably get used to it and won't think anything of it.

Don't do this bit.

+1

love the A11 flyover. It is the only 'downhill' in my whole journey.

love the A11 flyover. It is the only 'uphill' in my whole journey

Uphills are much more fun !

dude,
that road might be a big road but it is one of the best for safe cycling. it has a massive bus lane almost all of the way. if she doesn't feel confident negotiating the flyover ( and cars can intimidate you as you try to shift lanes) she can always go straight down and around the roundabout. seriously , this road is a safe option. any other route would be slightly ridiculous

fuck stratford

use tfl's cyclign journey planner. give you some funny routes sometimes but also some good back roads sometimes.

there are no funny routes/good back roads to shat-ford

i won't bite
i won't bite

FUCK OFF RAY

I bit

its like living on the m25

ok rephrase...

traffic calming on approaches to flyover / the flyover.

cos sometimes it is difficult / dangerous trying to get on the flyover.

and it is probably these kind of fast four / eight lane junctions that make life intimidating for less confident riders.

i.e. the reason for magpies post in the first place.

fuck stratford

+1

Waited over an hour there for a bus with all my camera gear the other night. Only live in Hackney Wick but had too much stuff to walk with.
But yeah, A11 isn't too bad at all. Greenway and canal if you fancy the scenic route though.

A couple of weeks ago the greenway was closed hackney side.
startford is dirty. It's packed with fundementalists of all persuasions. the people are (in general) rude, have massive attitude problems, have no respect for property or person. Even though it must be the most ethincally diverse bit of the worlds most ethnically diverse city, contrary to popular belief , nobody mixes with anybody from another culture.
But.....there are no cappuccino drinking , hoxton square arty hipster types for miles and for that it has to be worth it.

thanks all. think i might send her on the vicky park green way route, it won't kill her to do a bit more mileage till she gets more confident. i'm gonna sign her up for cycle training too.

A couple of weeks ago the greenway was closed hackney side.
startford is dirty. It's packed with fundementalists of all persuasions. the people are (in general) rude, have massive attitude problems, have no respect for property or person. Even though it must be the most ethincally diverse bit of the worlds most ethnically diverse city, contrary to popular belief , nobody mixes with anybody from another culture.
But.....there are no cappuccino drinking , hoxton square arty hipster types for miles and for that it has to be worth it.

Oh bollocks, yes I think that section is currently closed. Though when I was last there it was only a little diversion, just round near a DLR station, and joining the A11 a little way down from where the Greenway would take you.

And yes, I live very close to Stratford and can confirm that it is an utter shitheap of a place. Good luck to her!

I live in Stratford, god help me.

The A11 is fine though, I find it rather safe as the buses give you lots of space and the flyover can be avoided by taking the round about.

Saying that, I think going from Stepney, a perhaps more comforting route for her could be:

Grove road up to Victoria Park, taking the Eastway all the way to Leyton, and then descend down to Stratford.

I live in Stratford, god help me.

(...)

Grove road up to Victoria Park, taking the Eastway all the way to Leyton, and then descend down to Stratford.

Don't do that at night. Like I wrote somewhere before, my neighbour's son had his bike take at knifepoint between Kingsmead estate and Hackney Marshes.
This is what's keeps me away from EE drinks (some are probably well happy) - it's either Homerton in the middle of night or the Mile End/Bow high roads way. I'd take a cab :-)