London Borough of Redbridge

The London Borough of Redbridge is a London borough in East London, England.[2]

London Borough of Redbridge
London borough
Coat of arms Council logo
Redbridge shown within Greater London
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Constituent country	England
Region	London
Ceremonial county	Greater London
Created	1 April 1965
Admin HQ	Ilford
Government
• Type	London borough council
• Body	Redbridge London Borough Council
• Leadership	Leader & Cabinet Leader, Cllr Jas Athwal Deputy, Cllr Elaine Norman (Labour)
• Mayor	Cllr Zulfiqar Hussain (LAB)
• London Assembly	Keith Prince (CON) AM for Havering and Redbridge
• MPs	John Cryer (LAB) Iain Duncan Smith (CON) Sam Tarry (LAB) Wes Streeting (LAB)
Area
• Total	21.78 sq mi (56.41 km^2)
Area rank	257th (of 317)
Population  (mid-2019 est.)
• Total	305,222
• Rank	42nd (of 317)
• Density	14,000/sq mi (5,400/km^2)
• Ethnicity[1]	34.5% White British 1.4% White Irish 0.1% White Gypsy or Irish Traveller 6.6% Other White 1.1% White & Black Caribbean 0.6% White & Black African 1.2% White & Asian 1.2% Other Mixed 16.4% Indian 11.1% Pakistani 5.7% Bangladeshi 1.1% Chinese 7.4% Other Asian 4.4% Black African 3.2% Black Caribbean 1.2% Other Black 0.6% Arab 2.1% Other
Time zone	UTC (GMT)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+1 (BST)
Postcodes	E, IG, RM
Area code(s)	020
ONS code	00BC
GSS code	E09000026
Police	Metropolitan Police
Website	https://www.redbridge.gov.uk/

Its administrative headquarters is at Redbridge Town Hall in Ilford. Wanstead and Woodford are the other principal settlements. 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.[3]

Places of interest

Parks and open spaces

See also: Parks and open spaces in the London Borough of Redbridge

Redbridge has more than 35 parks, playgrounds and open spaces. 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.[4]

Arts and culture

Valentines Mansion is a Georgian country house and gardens in the grounds of Valentines Park, Ilford.[5]

Kenneth More Theatre in Oakfield Road, Ilford opened in 1975.[6]

Redbridge Museum, which opened in 2000, is situated in on the second floor of Redbridge Central Library, Clements Road, Ilford.[7]

Redbridge Heritage Centre is situated on the second floor of Redbridge Central Library, Clements Road, Ilford.[8]

The Embassy Cinema is an Art Deco former cinema in Chadwell Heath. It opened in 1934 and closed in 1966, but is currently the focus of a major restoration project[9].

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:[10]

• 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 road and off-road cycling tracks at Redbridge Cycling Centre.[11]

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.[12]

Redbridge's Valentines Park in Ilford acted as one of Essex County Cricket Club's home grounds in 1923-4 and from 1935 until 2002, when the club stopped playing there due to financial constraints.[13]

Redbridge is home to several Scouting districts and Groups. One such group is 4th Goodmayes Scout Group.[14]

Geography

A map showing the wards of Redbridge since 2002

Demographics

In 2011 the population of Redbridge was recorded at 278,970.[15] In common with the other London boroughs this continues a period of growth; between the 1991 and 2001 censuses the increase was 7.5%[16] with a further rise of 15.3% by 2011.[15] Redbridge has the third highest proportion of children and a higher-than-average proportion of older adults while the proportion of working age adults is slightly lower than average.[17] The population density was last recorded at 4,945 residents per km² (the London regional density is 5,199, far higher than the England and Wales figure of 371).[15]

The healthy life expectancy (HLE) at birth for Redbridge residents stands at 65.5 years for males and 62.4 years for females (the England average HLE is 63.4 for males and 64.1 for females).[18]

Redbridge is one of the most ethnically diverse local authorities in the UK. 34% of respondents to the 2011 census stated that they were born outside the UK and 65.5% identified as belonging to an ethnic group other than white British.[19] Redbridge's largest ethnic group is White British (34.5%), followed by Indian (16.4%),[19] and Pakistani (Redbridge has the highest proportion of Pakistani residents of any London borough).[19]

Population census

Year	Pop.	±%
1801	4,909	—
1811	6,317	+28.7%
1821	7,829	+23.9%
1831	8,572	+9.5%
1841	9,290	+8.4%
1851	9,921	+6.8%
1861	16,409	+65.4%
1871	22,897	+39.5%
1881	29,385	+28.3%
1891	51,250	+74.4%
1901	77,621	+51.5%
1911	117,735	+51.7%
1921	152,209	+29.3%
1931	196,790	+29.3%
1941	230,876	+17.3%
1951	270,876	+17.3%
1961	254,605	−6.0%
1971	239,337	−6.0%
1981	224,724	−6.1%
1991	231,198	+2.9%
2001	238,628	+3.2%
2011	278,970	+16.9%
Note:[20]

Ethnic and religious change

In common with many London boroughs, the most recent (2011) census showed notable ethnic and religious population mobility in Redbridge. Ethnic groups whose proportions fell in Redbridge were White British (-23% of the borough's total), Irish (-0.9%), and Caribbean (-0.6%). Ethnic groups whose proportions rose include Pakistani (+4.9%), other Asians (+4.4%), Bangladeshis (+3.9%), and other White (+2.9%). Religious groups whose proportions fell in Redbridge were Christian (-13.9%) and Jews (-2.5%). For Jews this represented a fall of over 50% of their number in some wards. Religious groups whose proportions rose include Muslims (+11.4%) followed by Hindu (+3.6%).[19]

Ethnicity

Ethnic Group	2001[21]		2011[22]
	Number	%	Number	%
White: British	137,097	57.5%	96,253	34.5%
White: Irish	5,559	2.3%	3,900	1.4%
White: Gypsy or Irish Traveller			140	0.1%
White: Other	8,931	3.7%	18,353	6.6%
White: Total	151,587	63.5%	118,646	42.6%
Asian or Asian British: Indian	33,304	14.0%	45,660	16.4%
Asian or Asian British: Pakistani	14,888	6.2%	31,051	11.1%
Asian or Asian British: Bangladeshi	4,224	1.8%	16,011	5.7%
Asian or Asian British: Chinese	1,962	0.8%	3,000	1.1%
Asian or Asian British: Other Asian	7,207	3.0%	20,781	7.4%
Asian or Asian British: Total	61,585	25.8%	116,503	41.7%
Black or Black British: African	7,827	3.3%	12,357	4.4%
Black or Black British: Caribbean	9,126	3.8%	9,064	3.2%
Black or Black British: Other Black	1,159	0.5%	3,424	1.2%
Black or Black British: Total	18,112	7.6%	24,845	8.8%
Mixed: White and Black Caribbean	1,884	1.5%	3,204	1.1%
Mixed: White and Black African	742	0.8%	1,692	0.6%
Mixed: White and Asian	1,853	0.8%	3,251	1.2%
Mixed: Other Mixed	1,352	2.5%	3,309	1.2%
Mixed: Total	5,831	4.2%	11,456	4.1%
Other: Arab			1,551	0.6%
Other: Any other ethnic group	1,520	0.6%	5,969	2.1%
Other: Total	1,520	0.6%	7,520	2.7%
Black, Asian, and minority ethnic: Total	87,048	36.5%	160,324	57.3%
Total	238,635	100.00%	278,970	100.00%

Educated 30-40-year-old British-born Asian residents of Redbridge, who participated in a 2012 academic research project.[23]

Religion

Religion in Redbridge[24]
Religion			Percent(%)
Christian			36.8%
Muslim			23.3%
Hindu			11.4%
No religion			11.0%
Undeclared			6.5%
Sikh			6.2%
Jewish			3.7%
Buddhist			0.7%
Other			0.5%

According to the 2011 Census, the largest religious groupings are Christians (36.8 per cent), followed by Muslims (23.3 per cent), Hindus (11.4 per cent), those of no religion (11.0 per cent), no response (6.5 per cent), Sikhs (6.2 per cent), Jews (3.7 per cent), Buddhists (0.7 per cent) and other (0.5 per cent).

The number of Christians residing in Redbridge ranked fourth lowest in England and Wales, and 12 percent below the London average of 48.4%. The number of Muslims in Redbridge has more than doubled since 2001.[25]

Transport

Walking and cycling

The Roding Valley Way is a designated walking and cycling route between Woodford and Ilford.[26]

TfL Rail

Fairlop Loop (Hainault Loop)
Central line to Epping Roding Valley M11 motorway Chigwell Woodford Grange Hill Hainault depot Hainault Fairlop Barkingside Newbury Park A12 (Eastern Avenue) Gants Hill Redbridge Wanstead Ilford Curve closed 1947 Seven Kings Curve closed 1956 Leytonstone Central line to Central London TfL Rail to Shenfield Junction now site of Ilford Depot Seven Kings Ilford TfL Rail to Liverpool Street

Route	Frequency
Shenfield to London Liverpool Street	6 trains per hour

Station	Image	Opened[27]	Notes[27]
Ilford		20 June 1839
Seven Kings		1 April 1899
Goodmayes		18 February 1901
Chadwell Heath		11 January 1864

These services serving these stations will be rebranded from TfL Rail to Elizabeth Line in late 2020.

London Underground

Central line: Epping Branch.

Station	Image	Opened[27]	Notes[27]
Snaresbrook		14 December 1947	First opened by the Eastern Counties Railway in 1856
South Woodford		14 December 1947	First opened by the Eastern Counties Railway as South Woodford (George Lane) in 1856; renamed 1947
Woodford		14 December 1947	First opened by the Eastern Counties Railway in 1856. Terminus of Hainault Loop

Central line: Hainault Loop (follows the route of the A12 from Wanstead to Newbury Park)

Station	Image	Opened[27]	Notes[27]
Wanstead		14 December 1947
Redbridge		14 December 1947
Gants Hill		14 December 1947
Newbury Park		14 December 1947	First opened by the Great Eastern Railway in 1903
Barkingside		31 May 1948	First opened by the Great Eastern Railway in 1903
Fairlop		31 May 1948	First opened by the Great Eastern Railway in 1903
Hainault		31 May 1948	First opened by the Great Eastern Railway in 1903. Closed 1908 to 1930.
Grange Hill		21 November 1948	First opened by the Great Eastern Railway in 1903

Buses

Ilford Hainault Street Bus Station, where nine different bus routes terminate.

Numerous London buses run through and within the borough.

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% all residents aged 16–74; underground, metro, light rail, tram, 18.4%; 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%.[28]

History

The borough was formed in 1965 by the London Government Act 1963 as a merger of the former area of:

Redbridge Town Hall on Ilford High Road

Former local government district	Population (1961)[29]
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.

Destruction of Hainault Forest

An act of parliament in 1851 permitted the virtual destruction of Hainault Forest and 92% of the forest was cut down using machines specially designed for the task. The loss of this habitat outraged public opinion far beyond the local area. The naturalist Oliver Rackham argued that this led to the creation of the modern British conservation movement with the creation of organisations which successfully opposed such a fate happening to Epping Forest, which only lost around 10% of its area.[30]

Awards

In November 2018, Redbridge Council was reported as the sixth-most productive council in England overall and the most productive in provision of adult social care in a report published by the public service consultancy iMPOWER.[31][32]

Redbridge London Borough Council

Summary of Council results:

	Overall control	Conservative	Labour	Lib Dem	Others
2014	Labour	25	35	3	0
2012	No Overall Control	29	25	7	2
2010[33][34]	No Overall Control	30	26	7	0
2009	No Overall Control	31	14	13	5
2006[35]	Conservative	33	18	10	2
2002	Conservative	33	21	9	-
1998	No overall control	23	30	9	0
1994	No overall control	24	29	9
1990[36]	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

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. A 2017 report by Trust for London and the New Policy Institute found that Redbridge has the highest proportion of 19 year olds with Level 3 qualifications (equivalent to an A Level) of any London borough.[37]

All schools in the borough take part in the Redbridge Schools Choral Festival, a bi-annual music festival held in the Royal Albert Hall in Knightsbridge.[38]

References

1. 2011 Census: Ethnic group, local authorities in England and Wales, Office for National Statistics (2012). See Classification of ethnicity in the United Kingdom for the full descriptions used in the 2011 Census.
2. "London Places" (PDF). Greater London Authority. GLA. Archived from the original (PDF) on 6 September 2015. Retrieved 11 October 2015.
3. Mills, A., Dictionary of London Place Names, (2001)
4. "Claybury Woods and Park, including Repton Park". London Gardens Trust. Retrieved 10 May 2020.
5. Historic England, "Valentines Park (1000843)", National Heritage List for England, retrieved 12 September 2017
6. "Kenneth More Theatre". Vision RCL. Retrieved 10 May 2020.
7. "Redbridge Museum". Hidden London. Retrieved 10 May 2020.
8. "Redbridge Heritage Centre". Vision RCL. Retrieved 10 May 2020.
9. "Embassy Cinema: The Restoration Project". Chadwell Heath South Residents' Association. Retrieved 5 August 2020.
10. "Libraries". Redbridge Council. Retrieved 10 May 2020.
11. "UK | England | London | Cycle centre 'first 2012 legacy'". BBC News. 19 August 2008. Retrieved 10 May 2020.
12. History Of Barkingside FC Barkingside F.C.
13. "Valentine's Park". Cricinfo. ESPN. Retrieved 22 September 2015.
14. "4th Goodmayes Scout Group". Retrieved 10 May 2020.
15. "Population change 2001-2011". Office for National Statistics. Office for National Statistics. 2012. Retrieved 30 November 2014.
16. "Population statistics". Redbridge i. Redbridge Council. Archived from the original on 7 December 2014. Retrieved 30 November 2014.
17. "2011 Census - Population". Redbridge i. Redbridge Council. Archived from the original on 7 December 2014. Retrieved 30 November 2014.
18. "How long can you expect to live in 'Good' general health?". Office for National Statistics. Office for National Statistics. 2014. Retrieved 30 November 2014.
19. "2011 Census - Diversity". Redbridge i. Redbridge Council. Archived from the original on 7 December 2014. Retrieved 30 November 2014.
20. "Redbridge: Total Population". A Vision of Britain Through Time. Great Britain Historical GIS Project. Retrieved 6 September 2011.
21. "KS006 - Ethnic group". NOMIS. Retrieved 30 January 2016.
22. "Ethnic Group by measures". NOMIS. Retrieved 8 January 2016.
23. Saha, Anamik; Watson, Sophie (2013). Suburban drifts: mundane multiculturalism in outer London. Resourceful Cities, Research Committee 21, 29–31 August 2013, Humboldt-University Berlin, Institute for Social Science, Dept for Urban and Regional Sociology.CS1 maint: location (link)
24. "2011 Census results". redbridge.gov.uk. 11 December 2012. Retrieved 7 December 2018.
25. "Redbridge Census Results". Office of National Statistics.
26. "Roding Valley Way". Sustrans.
27. Rose, Douglas (1999). The London Underground, A Diagrammatic History. London: Douglas Rose/Capital Transport. ISBN 1-85414-219-4. OCLC 59556887.
28. "2011 Census: QS701EW Method of travel to work, local authorities in England and Wales". Office for National Statistics. Retrieved 23 November 2013. Percentages are of all residents aged 16-74 including those not in employment. Respondents could only pick one mode, specified as the journey’s longest part by distance.
29. Great Britain Historical GIS / University of Portsmouth, Redbridge. Retrieved 10 February 2008.
30. Rackham, Oliver (1994). The History of the Countryside. Weidenfeld & Nicolson. ISBN 978-0297833925.
31. "Top 10 most productive councils in England: 2018". iMPOWER. 22 November 2018. Retrieved 24 April 2019.
32. "WHICH COUNCILS ARE BEST?" (PDF). iMPOWER. 22 November 2018. Retrieved 24 April 2019.
33. "REDBRIDGE: Council election count - LIVE". East London and West Essex Guardian Series.
34. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 10 May 2010. Retrieved 7 May 2010.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
35. "2006 Local election results". redbridge.gov.uk. Archived from the original on 10 May 2010. Retrieved 7 May 2010.
36. GLA. "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 28 July 2011. Retrieved 31 January 2016.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link), London Borough Council Elections May 2010, March 2011, accessed 21 April 2011.
37. "London's Poverty Profile". Trust for London. Retrieved 19 June 2018.
38. Redbridge Music Service - Redbridge Schools' Choral Festival

External links

• London Borough of Redbridge Council website
• Things to do in London Borough of Redbridge
• Redbridge Roundabout Action Group (RedRag)

Gallery

• 
  Exchange shopping centre, Ilford
• 
  Fullwell Cross library, Barkingside
• 
  Gants Hill roundabout and station, Gants Hill
• 
  Newbury Park station, Newbury Park