Anyone cycled through Stratford today?

[stowie]

Utter chaos with Westfield opening day. A11 tailed back to Bow Flyover, and the ped crossing on the gyratory was so heaving they had a whole group of police trying to restore some kind of order. I would have to say they weren't winning the battle. A12 looked pretty stuffed (even more than normal) and many of the peripheral roads (Angel Road etc.) were heaving with traffic.

A group of us cyclists stopped whilst the policeman directed the traffic and pedestrians. He had a very nice line in cynicism which brightened up my ride. A policewoman thanked us cyclists profusely for stopping and waiting - although what else she expected us to do was beyond me, the road was a heaving mass of bodies going between the centre and Westfield.

The policeman reckoned 1 million people are expected in the first week. Those joining the traffic queue at the back of Bow flyover should reach the centre in around a weeks time...

If this is a taste of things to come with the Olympics I am glad I took up cycling again...

 

[Tynan]

I went through at about 6 and there were ten coppers on either side of the main crossing shoulder to shouler physically preventing people crossing against the lights

the wife visited late on, said the posh areas were lovely, the ground floor was for the chav mobs

wait until there's 50,000 West Ham supporters for a midweek ko

6,000 car parking spaces, that tells you something about the traffic they're expecting

 

[stowie]

I went through at about 6 and there were ten coppers on either side of the main crossing shoulder to shouler physically preventing people crossing against the lights

the wife visited late on, said the posh areas were lovely, the ground floor was for the chav mobs

wait until there's 50,000 West Ham supporters for a midweek ko

6,000 car parking spaces, that tells you something about the traffic they're expecting

They say that they also have over 1000 cycle parking spaces as well.

I was going to pop in to see what it was like, but the crowds seemed so large I couldn't really be bothered. To be honest one large shopping centre is much like another.

I should imagine a West-Ham saturday game would be exciting traffic chaos as well.

 

[deptfordmarmoset]

So, Olympic Shopping, are we in with a chance for a medal

Every time I've cycled through Stratford I've arrived from somewhere much quieter and I've found myself going ''BIG TRAFFIC! Be very alert!'' And that was before they started Olympic Shopping...

 

[TechnoTim2011]

So whose dumb shortsighted idea was it to remove the underpass between the station and Stratford Broadway Shopping Centre. It had ramps, it allowed people to avoid crossing the road and would have been a godsend today or so it sounds.

Mind you I liked the old tunnels under temple Mills yards and they, like where I lived (Clays Lane for those who knew it) have all been bulldozed.

 

[Sheffield_Tiger]

Westfield is a shopping centre?
Name sounds more like a hospital to me

I imagine it to be the embodiment of Hell on Earth - some people actually visit these places for FUN??!!

 

[moralcrusader]

Westfield is a shopping centre?
Name sounds more like a hospital to me

I imagine it to be the embodiment of Hell on Earth - some people actually visit these places for FUN??!!

Having been to the other one in Shepard's Bush, I can tell you that it's closer to purgatory!

 

[guitarpete247]

One in Derby was closed the other day when someone left a hoax bomb on Monday.

It's not too bad there at least it has a few sports shops including Sports Direct.

 

[ianrauk]

Having been to the other one in Shepard's Bush, I can tell you that it's closer to purgatory!

Or as I like to call these places.... MANHELL!!

I know Christmas is coming when Mrs Ian says, "Right, we should do a trip to Bluewater"... It sends a shiver down my spine when I hear those words.

 

[stowie]

Westfield is a shopping centre?
Name sounds more like a hospital to me

I imagine it to be the embodiment of Hell on Earth - some people actually visit these places for FUN??!!

It is Europe's biggest urban indoor shopping centre. Whatever that means. I think for me this is close enough to hell as I ever want to get. The missus is quite excited though. So she can get on a bus by herself if she wants to go.

All through Stratford redevelopment, I believe pedestrians and cyclists have been completely marginalised. The roads around the developments are simply horrible for cyclists (slightly better yesterday since everything was utterly stationary). There is a pedestrian crossing between the older centre and Westfield / bus / tube station which was always insufficient for the numbers using it and doesn't seem to have been improved at all. This was one of the major problems - the mediocre pedestrian crossing area simply wasn't up to the job. God alone knows what it will be like on an average Saturday.

As for cycling - well one shares the road with 2-3 lanes of traffic where speeds alternative from 0 to stupid and drivers are lane-changing, undertaking etc. The only respite are the patchy bus lanes, and I have seen reports that mention these are being considered for removal after the games! Stratford is one of the worst places to cycle in London in my opinion.

 

[Nigeyy]

I was an extremely early adopter of internet shopping. And without meaning to push a particular online store (in hushed mantra tones):

Amazon is your friend, and has been my true saviour.

It has saved me countless trips to god awful shopping malls -plus usually you get things far cheaper, even including the cost of shipping. In fact, aside from a recent visit where my son had a Lego gift card he wanted to spend in a shop, I haven't been to a mall/shopping centre in close to 15 years. I can not understand why people enjoy going to malls or shopping centres -it's a mystery to me. Seems to be a predominantly female thing too.

My favourite thing I've heard from someone who went to a mall was "it's great, it's just like being outside, the ceiling looks like the sky!". Hint: just go outside then....

Or as I like to call these places.... MANHELL!!

I know Christmas is coming when Mrs Ian says, "Right, we should do a trip to Bluewater"... It sends a shiver down my spine when I hear those words.

 

[GGB_Andrew]

Anyone know about the cycling parking facilities there? Thinking of making trip on Friday

 

[stowie]

Anyone know about the cycling parking facilities there? Thinking of making trip on Friday

Apparently there is over 1000 cycle parking places at Stratford Westfield - according to here

I have always found the cycle parking for the actual centre pretty woeful - but maybe I have looked in the wrong places. There are, however, plenty of railings around the centre which many people use for their cycles, so I imagine you should be able to find somewhere.

I am going past Stratford later on so will have a look.

 

[Alan Whicker]

Is this where I point out that the new Westfield is home to a brewpub, Tapeast? It's run by the same team behind The Rake at Borough. One reason to visit anyway

 

[stowie]

Anyone know about the cycling parking facilities there? Thinking of making trip on Friday

Well, I did have a quick look, and couldn't see the 1000+ cycle parking places they talk about. They say they are near the entrances - considering the main entrance I went to had huge flights of stairs any stands at the top of that are somewhat pointless. Loads and loads of cycles tied to the railings around the station though, so either the cycle parking isn't near the station entrance or the regular cyclists haven't found them either. If you go during the day, I doubt it will be an issue to tie the cycles to the railings by the station.