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I think quietways as originally implemented were just substandard LTNs. I think LTNs are how quietways/mini hollands were originally intended.
I think a basic model is modal filtering to create neighbourhood wide cells and then segregation on the through roads. This requires a level of political ambition and engineering know-how we seem to be sorely lacking.
And the Lee valley route is lovely, though I'd like a little more priority on the signal timings.
Backstop-
The original dream of Quietways was there were lots of quiet back streets ready to be linked together quickly and cheaply into new routes with minimal interventions and no fuss.
It very quickly became clear that (a) no there aren't (b) any vaguely direct route was also a popular rat run requiring lots of filtering and (c) filtering was extremely politically controversial and the boroughs weren't interested. Very few were implemented.
The fundamental problem was that they weren't thinking about LTNs, only about the linear cycle routes. They've now found that it's much easier to build a political coalition in support of LTNs for their own sake than it is to demand neighbourhoods be re-engineered for the benefit of cyclists.
(though the interventions in Islington on Quietway 2 have been prioritised partly because they want to improve Q2, and partly because they've been sitting on the drawing board ready to go for years, with political leadership constantly noping them for fear of backlash)
grams
The cycle lane along Lee Bridge Road has really highlighted how bad the Quietways program was.
It's really disconcerting as you swap from being a first class citizen, to being sent around the houses on the Quietway through Hackney.
That said - I think Quietways are good supplements for direct routes. Spending tiny amounts of money creating permeable routes between otherwise good roads (especially between LTNs) creates loads of options for local trips.
You have no idea of how much of a barrier an A road (with no cycle crossing) is until you've tried riding it with a child on tow. For example, my wife would kill me if I took our son anywhere near Camberwell New Road on his bike - we can even only cross it at places where it has a signalised crossing, which forces big detours and often requires a bit of walking (or cycling on the pavement).