Multi-million programme confirmed as summer works step up
Waltham Forest Council has set aside £3.63 million to improve carriageways and footways across the borough this year, with half of the identified road schemes already completed and further resurfacing concentrated in the north of the borough.
Details of the programme, covering both highway and pavement improvements, were presented at the 16 July full council meeting — the second under the borough’s new Green administration. According to the council’s update, 30 roads were scheduled for resurfacing in 2026 and 16 have been finished to date. Senior councillors said works that began in May are progressing, though no indicative completion dates were published.
Where the money is going
The authority expects to spend £3.2m on road surfaces and a further £435,300 on footway repairs. The single most costly carriageway scheme is a combined project on Kings Head Hill and The Ridgeway (Chingford Green/Endlebury), covering around 6,000 sqm at a price of £227,600. The second largest by cost is Bridge End in Chapel End, at £220,200 for approximately 3,000 sqm.
The priciest pavement job is at Dale View End (Endlebury), budgeted at £92,400. That scheme started in June and is continuing through the summer.
| Scheme | Ward/Area | Scope | Estimated Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kings Head Hill & The Ridgeway | Chingford Green / Endlebury | Carriageway, ~6,000 sqm | £227,600 |
| Bridge End | Chapel End | Carriageway, ~3,000 sqm | £220,200 |
| Dale View End | Endlebury | Footway refurbishment | £92,400 |
Focus areas and progress
The council says the bulk of remaining resurfacing activity falls in Larkswood and Highams Hill, each with two further schemes to complete. While officials reported good progress since May, residents have not been given finish dates for the outstanding works, meaning precise timelines for traffic management and access arrangements are not available at this stage.
Highway upgrades of this kind typically address surface defects, potholes and worn materials to improve safety, reduce vehicle damage and cut reactive maintenance costs. Footway refurbishments are intended to make walking safer and more accessible, particularly around residential streets and local centres.
Roads still to be resurfaced
According to the council’s published data, the remaining carriageway schemes include:
- Ainslie Wood Rd E4
- Beatrice Rd E17
- Colworth Rd E11 (Preston Rd to Poppleton Rd)
- Coney Burrows E4
- Dames Rd E7
- Durban Rd E17
- Flempton Rd E10
- Friday Hill West E4 (Nursery to no 17)
- Hale End Rd E17 (Heathcroft Gdns to Belle Vue Rd)
- Inks Green E4
- Kings Head Hill E4 (The Ridgeway to College Gardens) and The Ridgeway (Kings Head Hill to 11)
- Lea Valley Rd E4
- Melville Rd E17
- Stow Crescent E17
- Warren Rd E10 (A106)
In addition, footway works yet to be completed are listed as:
- Dale View Ave E4
- Davies Lane E11
- Montserrat Ave IG8
- Weale Rd E4 (Withy Mead to 39 Weale Rd)
What this means for residents
For drivers and bus users, resurfacing usually entails temporary traffic management, short-term closures or diversions, and parking suspensions adjacent to the works area. Pedestrians can also encounter temporary barriers and signed alternative routes during footway renewal. Although the council has not provided end dates, residents on or near affected streets should look out for advanced on-street notices from contractors indicating when individual phases will begin.
The total spend of £3.63m reflects a continuation of investment in the borough’s transport network, combining targeted refurbishments with routine maintenance. With a sizeable share of the summer programme still to run, oversight will focus on whether the remaining schemes are delivered to scope and budget, particularly in Larkswood and Highams Hill where the concentration of works is greatest.
InfoRadar will continue to monitor delivery of the programme and update readers when the council publishes revised schedules or completion information for the streets listed above.
