New cycle route needed – advice please!

Hello all, it’s Mrs Magpie here (not sure what Mr Magpie will say when he gets home from work!) but wanted to ask if any of you fine cycle folk can help me think of an alternate route for my commute? I currently ride my lovely gold, single speed bike that Mr Magpie loving made for me (you see magpies like collecting shiny things) from Stepney Green to Stratford during absolute peak rush hours and my nerves are totally shot by riding along the A11, having to tackle that stupid multilane roundabout at the blackwall tunnel N. Approach and coping with ALL the douche-bags who dive in and out of the bus lane the whole time, etc… Nightmare! If anyone knows of some better, quieter cycling roads along this way I’d be very grateful, think there are some good routes through Vic Park and along the canals, etc, don’t mind if it takes longer, just want to feel safer! Thanks ya’ll! xx

Could you give more details about where in Stratford as due to all the railway lines e.t.c it can make a difference as to what is a reasonable route.

Also, time of day you commute will help with any advice given.

Hi, sorry - of course, I leave my flat at about 07:30 a.m. and go to Stratford Tube/Railway Station (get on a train to Essex from there, reasonably I need to be there for 8) and in the evenings I leave Stratford at about 6/7 pm at night.

cyclestreets.net is the best journey planner for cycling currently out there. For a quiet route to Stratford station, you want to use the Greenway. There are lots of ways of getting there from Stepney and it emerges right onto the A118 Stratford High Street, not far from Stratford station. Even there are some cut-throughs via more local streets. The 'quietest' route that CycleStreets computes for you takes you over a footbridge to the station. Also be aware that there's currently a diversion in place at the western end of the Greenway.

http://www.cyclestreets.net/journey/83108/#quietest

Personally, if I was at Stepney Green and wanted to avoid the A11/A118, I'd go along Globe Road, right into Roman Road, left into Bonner Street, right into Old Ford Road, all the way to the end where the cyclist/pedestrian bridge is, then down to the Greenway (as mentioned, owing to the diversion this is currently complicated; you have to go down Wick Lane, right into Monier Road, right into Dace Road, to the end of Dace Road, and across the lock bridge, then back up to the Greenway).

Old Ford Road can attract speeding motor traffic, but as you'll be going against the peak you might not have that much motor traffic going your way.

There's another dog leg in the Greenway where it crosses the railway lines, but that's been improved a bit and rides better now than it used to. After the Greenway, I'd just do the quick hop along the A118, as you only have to turn left at the station. It's a short distance.

For coming back, be aware that there used to be personal safety issues along the Greenway, but with all the Olympic construction happening around it, that's no longer quite the same concern.

There are other options if you go due east from Stepney, but I wouldn't recommend them at first. They're less direct and can be lonely at night. Once you become more familiar with the area, you should try varying your route a bit.

Hope this helps!

I hate doing it but I always take the A11, and take the fly over so I can ignore all the cars trying to push me off the round a bout.