London Borough of Redbridge
London Borough of Redbridge | |||
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London borough | |||
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Redbridge shown within Greater London | |||
Sovereign state | United Kingdom | ||
Constituent country | England | ||
Region | London | ||
Ceremonial county | Greater London | ||
Status | London borough | ||
Admin HQ | Ilford | ||
Incorporated | 1 April 1965 | ||
Government | |||
• Type | London borough council | ||
• Body | Redbridge London Borough Council | ||
• Leadership | Leader & Cabinet (Conservative / Liberal Democrat (council NOC)) | ||
• Mayor | Cllr Felicity Banks | ||
• MPs |
John Cryer Iain Duncan Smith Mike Gapes Lee Scott | ||
• London Assembly | Roger Evans AM for Havering and Redbridge | ||
• EU Parliament | London | ||
Area | |||
• Total | 21.78 sq mi (56.41 km2) | ||
Area rank | 263rd (of 326) | ||
Population (2011 est.) | |||
• Total | 281,400 | ||
• Rank | 37th (of 326) | ||
• Density | 13,000/sq mi (5,000/km2) | ||
• Ethnicity[1] |
34.5% White British | ||
Time zone | GMT (UTC0) | ||
• Summer (DST) | BST (UTC+1) | ||
Postcodes | E, IG, RM | ||
Police force | Metropolitan Police | ||
Website | www.redbridge.gov.uk |
The London Borough of Redbridge ( pronunciation (help·info)) is a London borough in north-east London, England. It is known for its award winning parks and open spaces, excellent transport links and thriving shopping areas.
Redbridge is home to a diverse and vibrant population of more than 250,000. This diversity is reflected in the array of restaurants, shopping and going out places, including a thriving night-time economy, within the Borough.
Its administrative headquarters is at Redbridge Town Hall in Ilford. The local authority is Redbridge London Borough Council.
Etymology
The name comes from a bridge over the River Roding which was demolished in 1921. The bridge was made of red brick, unlike other bridges in the area made of white stone. The name had first been applied to the Redbridge area and Redbridge tube station was opened in 1947. It was earlier known as Hocklee's Bridge.[2]
Places of Interest
Parks and open spaces
Redbridge is one of London's greenest Boroughs, with more than 35 parks, playgrounds and open spaces to enjoy. These include Hainault Forest Country Park, with 300 acres of countryside including adventure play areas, cafe and petting zoo. Roding Valley Park, a wildlife sanctuary with a wide range of flora and fauna and woodland areas to explore. Fairlop Waters Country Park, which offers a huge range of activities both on and off the water. The award winning Valentines Park, situated next to the beautiful Valentines Mansion, ornamental gardens, bowling green and outdoor gym among other attractions. Claybury Woods and Park, a conservation area that features and ancient area of oak and hornbeam woodland, meadows and wildlife ponds.
Six parks have attained the prestigious Green Flag Award.
For more information, see Redbridge parks and open spaces
Arts and culture
Valentines Mansion is a Georgian country house and gardens in the grounds of Valentines Park, Ilford. The 300 year old restored building attracts thousands of visitors every year. There is also a Gardener's Cottage Cafe and regular art installations and exhibitions.
Redbridge Drama Centre in Churchfields, South Woodford, offers young people aged five to 21 the chance to take part in a professional performance and gives the public a year-round opportunity to see live shows in this part of the Borough. It has a television studio and edit suite where film and videos are made.
Kenneth More Theatre in Oakfield Road, Ilford opened in 1975 and the theatre in Ilford Town Centre has since served up a diverse programme of amateur and professional performances to the local community with new shows most weeks.
Redbridge Museum is situated in Redbridge Central Library, Clements Road, Ilford, Redbridge Museum explores the many places, people and events in over 150,000 years of the Borough's history. The museum also features interactive displays, a multi-media Children's Trail and touch displays to help bring the past to life. There are also regular changing exhibitions for visitors to enjoy.
Libraries
Redbridge has 13 libraries across the Borough. This includes the Redbridge Central Library, in Clements Road, Ilford, which had a major refurbishment in 2012. The libraries offer a number of services including reading clubs, story time sessions, study areas and learning resources.
The libraries in Redbridge are:
- Aldersbrook Library
- Clayhall Library
- Fullwell Cross Library
- Gants Hill Library
- Goodmayes Library
- Hainault Library
- Redbridge Central Library
- Keith Axon Library
- Seven Kings Library
- South Woodford Library
- Uphall School Library
- Wanstead Library
- Woodford Green Library
Sport and Leisure Facilities
Redbridge has a number of sports and leisure facilities including the fantastic road and off road cycling tracks at Redbridge Cycling Centre, top class water sports at Fairlop Activity Centre, in Fairlop Waters and sporting facilities at Redbridge Sports and Leisure Centre, in Forest Road, Fairlop. Fullwell Cross Leisure Centre, in Barkingside features a swimming pool, dance studio and spa.
There are also a number of outdoor gyms in the Borough's parks. The gyms can be found in the following parks:
- Ashton Playing Fields
- Claybury Woods and Park
- Elmhurst Gardens
- Forest Road Playing Fields
- Goodmayes Park
- Ray Park
- Valentines Park
There are two local football teams both playing in the Isthmian League Division One: Redbridge F.C. (not to be confused with Dagenham & Redbridge) and Ilford FC. In addition there is fellow Non-League football club Barkingside F.C. who play at The Oakside stadium.
The borough was one of the locations of the 2010 Mayor of London's Sky Ride. Along with Ealing, it was the first time the event took place in Outer London boroughs as well as in central London.
Districts
The borough is divided into the following districts:
- Aldborough Hatch
- Aldersbrook
- Barkingside
- Chadwell Heath
- Clayhall
- Cranbrook
- Fairlop
- Fullwell Cross
- Gants Hill
- Goodmayes
- Hainault
- Ilford
- Little Heath
- Loxford
- Newbury Park
- Redbridge
- Seven Kings
- Snaresbrook
- South Woodford
- Wanstead
- Woodford
- Woodford Bridge
- Woodford Green
- Woodford Wells
A map of Redbridge Borough Districts
Transport
National Rail
Fairlop Loop (Hainault Loop) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Legend
|
Route | Frequency |
---|---|
Greater Anglia service from London Liverpool Street to Shenfield | 6 trains per hour |
Station | Image | Opened[3] | Notes[3] |
---|---|---|---|
Ilford | | map 1 | |
Seven Kings | | map 2 | |
Goodmayes | | map 3 |
These stations are planned to be converted for operation on the Crossrail route, except Ilford which will continue to be owned by Greater Anglia with Crossrail calling here.
London Underground
Central Line Fairlop Loop Epping Branch.
Station | Image | Opened[3] | Notes[3] |
---|---|---|---|
Snaresbrook | | map 4 | |
South Woodford | | Opened as South Woodford (George Lane); renamed 1947map 5 | |
Woodford | | Terminus of Hainault Loopmap 6 |
Hainault Branch following the route of the A12 road from Wanstead to Newbury Park.
Station | Image | Opened[3] | Notes[3] |
---|---|---|---|
Wanstead | | map 7 | |
Redbridge | | map 8 | |
Gants Hill | | map 9 | |
Newbury Park | | map 10 | |
Barkingside | | map 11 | |
Fairlop | | map 12 | |
Hainault | | map 13 | |
Grange Hill | | lies on the boundary between the London Borough of Redbridge and the Epping Forest districtmap 14 |
Buses
Numerous London buses run through and within the borough. These include routes 20, 62, 173, 368, 387, 397, 549; night bus routes N8, N15, N86; school bus route 667, 675, 679; and other routes 958. And also these routes :
Travel to work
In March 2011, the main forms of transport that residents used to travel to work were: driving a car or van, 23.5% of all residents aged 16-74; underground, metro, light rail, tram, 6.2%; train, 6.2%; bus, minibus or coach, 4.6%; on foot, 3.7%; work mainly at or from home, 2.6%; passenger in a car or van, 1.5%.[4]
History
The borough was formed in 1965 by the London Government Act 1963 as a merger of the former area of:
Former local government district | Population (1961)[5] |
---|---|
Municipal Borough of Ilford | 178,024 |
Municipal Borough of Wanstead and Woodford | 61,416 |
northern part of the Municipal Borough of Dagenham around Hog Hill | 3,569 |
south eastern part of Chigwell Urban District around Hainault | 7,071 |
All of which had been transferred from Essex to Greater London by the Act.
Redbridge London Borough Council
Summary of Council results:
Overall control | Conservative | Labour | Lib Dem | Others | |
2012 | No Overall Control | 29 | 25 | 7 | 2 |
2010[6][7] | No Overall Control | 30 | 25 | 7 | 0 |
2009 | No Overall Control | 31 | 14 | 13 | 5 |
2006[8] | Conservative | 33 | 18 | 10 | 2 |
2002 | Conservative | 33 | 21 | 9 | - |
1998 | No overall control | 23 | 28 | 9 | 2 |
1994 | No overall control | 23 | 30 | 9 | |
1990[9] | Conservative | 42 | 18 | 3 | |
1986 | Conservative | 45 | 17 | 1 | |
1982 | Conservative | 51 | 12 | ||
1978 | Conservative | 50 | 13 | ||
1974 | Conservative | 45 | 15 | ||
1971 | Conservative | 42 | 18 | ||
1968 | Conservative | 55 | 5 | ||
1964 | Conservative | 45 | 15 |
In June 2007 Redbridge London Borough Council introduced Redbridge i, a website using personalisation and customisation techniques. In May 2008 Redbridge i was used as the basis for the Redbridge Conversation, a public consultation asking everyone who lives or works in the borough to talk about the long-term improvements they want to see, and how the council should pay for them.
Education
Redbridge Council is the Local Education Authority. The Borough has the accolade of sending more young people to university than any other borough in the country in both 2011 and 2012. GCSE and A Level results are consistently higher than the Country's average.
All schools in the borough take part in the Redbridge Schools Choral Festival, a biennial music festival held in the Royal Albert Hall in Knightsbridge.[10] It was inaugurated in 1976. Around 1,900 children from Redbridge schools take part in each festival, with the latest edition being held in 2012.