Below is a proposal put together by local residents to plant more trees in Mile End, Eric Street and Hamlets Way. I would like your views. And will be talking to local stakeholders about their views. Plan is for residents to submit the proposal as a petition to full council.

Trees for Mile End

Consider planting trees in Mile End in the locations specified below and in the video link.

As part of Tower Hamlets pledge to plant 1000 trees across the borough, we, the residents have identified four potential locations for tree planting in Mile End. We believe planting trees in these locations will help fill in empty gaps in the Local Plan’s ‘Green Grid’, calm traffic, in particular speeding, and benefit large amount of people & not just the immediate residents.

This text is intended to accompany this video : https://youtu.be/u1SNr4s2Fpg

• The first location is on the corner of Treby and Eric Street. This part of Eric Street has no trees, and is a primary pedestrian route for residents/commuters, Bonner school children, leisure centre users etc… An ornamental tree in a pavement level pit will enhance this pedestrian route for many people and link the Northern stretch of Eric Street, which is already planted, to Mile End Park to the South, enforcing the Local Plans concept of the ‘Green Grid’. 

The curb has a wide radius here and cars often speed around in and out of Treby Street. We believe by extending the curb out both into Eric and Treby this will force drivers to slow down before making the turn.

• The second location is on the corner of Mossford and Eric Street. For the same reasons mentioned above, an ornamental tree will benefit many residents and people visiting the area. The use of a curb extension here will again prevent speeding cars turning in and out of Mossford Street.

We feel these two locations will complement each other both visually. Additionally the curb extensions being opposite each other and staggered will introduce a meander to the straight line of Eric Street, which will force drivers to reduce speed when travelling along Eric Street and into/out of Ropery Street.

• The third location is at the South end of this section of Eric Street where it meets Bow Common Lane. Currently there are two unsightly, cluttered, islands with bollards, railings, sign posts with ‘no vehicles’ signs. We feel that replacing these with two trees and a more effective road block (for instance a central post) will be more visually pleasant & connect this route with Mile End Park to the South.

• The fourth location is on Hamlets Way outside the Masjid. We feel that introducing three new trees here will fill in this gap in the ‘Green Grid’ connecting the Cemetery Park to Mile End Park. It will also give a sense of place to this part of the ‘Mile End Neighbourhood’ giving shoppers, residents and visitors to the mosque a pleasant place to congregate.

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