It's only eleven years since Stratford station was upgraded for Westfield and the Olympics, and only eleven years before that since Stratford was given a total makeover to become a glass-fronted interchange. And yet so successful has Stratford's transformation been that the existing infrastructure struggles to cope, or at least sits at the heart of an area it's increasingly hard to get around. So a long-term consultation is underway to consider how to make best use of the best-connected site in east London, which could mean more connections, more public spaces, more homes, more jobs and greater emphasis on active travel. They'd be interested to hear what you think.
The area under consideration is quite large, not just the main station but an arc from Stratford International through the bus station to the High Street. Apparently this is stage 2 of a consultation that launched this time last year, so perhaps wasn't terribly widely advertised. The opening sortie was fairly nebulous, and this is a slightly more focusedattempt to consider local priorities and needs. Nobody's yet talking about where any new flats might go, more whether it'd be a good idea to have any, nor proposing reforming the interior of the station. Instead there are more overarching themes like what might be the components of a revised Station Square and where would it be good to have a new bridge?
A new bridge is pretty much essential given that the railway is a massive disconnect, with the two sides joined only by the station and a single footbridge approached via far too many steps which funnels everyone into Westfield. An additional bridge from the bus station towards the Olympic Park is a no-brainer - that's the green arrow - rather than alternative options that merely cross the Jubilee line instead. Another (red) alternative, not necessarily an either/or, would be a better connection between the International and mainline stations.
The consultation is taking place in person as well as online, with its first manifestation promised outside John Lewis at 8am last Saturday. I turned up at 10am to find nothing but a lady sat beside some unopened bags, and when Ian Visits arrived twenty minutes later they were still screwing the boards together. I came back later and had a proper go, chatting with staff and offering some choice opinions. More connections, I said, and don't bother with shops because there are more than enough round here, and as for homes this must be one of the most valuable bits of real estate in east London. I fear most of my thoughts were distilled down to four ticks on the member of staff's tablet, but at least I had my say.
Consultation activity continues this afternoon inside the Stratford Centre, then on Wednesday and Thursday in and around Stratford station. Local opinions will be valued. Alternatively the online portal is taking thoughts in a few distinct categories, but if you use it remember that everyone's responses are visible. Don't be the impractically angry one deviating beyond the brief "Tear down Stratford Centre and rebuild it from scratch!" and try not to be the blinkered transport nerd on an unlimited budget "How? Shuttle connection along DLR tracks (use high meads loop*)", perhaps focus on the potentially solvable "Inadequate toilet facilities".
And don't expect a fast turn-around. The consultation timeline suggests the earliest long-term improvements won't be complete before the early 2030s, so the Stratford disconnect will continue to delay your passage for another decade yet.
