The roundabout near Whipps Cross hospital is being phased out to encourage more cycling.

The interchange is set to become a T-junction with isolated cycle lanes, improved bus stops and more pedestrian crossings to prompt people to ditch their cars.

Work at the site has been going on for 18 months and is expected to continue until spring 2019.

The changes are part of Waltham Forest Council’s Enjoy Waltham Forest or Mini Holland scheme, which has seen road closures, traffic redirection and the installation of traffic controls, with up to £17 million invested along Lea Bridge Road.

Changes also include a new ‘pocket park’ at Whitney Road and 54 new trees being planted along Lea Bridge Road with a further 140 planned.

The interchange is used by around 30,000 vehicles and 1,500 cyclists every day. From Saturday January 19, road users were able to use the signalled junction.

Around 1,800sq m of land will also be returned to Epping Forest as part of the work.

Cllr Clyde Loakes, deputy council leader and cabinet member for the environment said: “The Enjoy Waltham Forest programme has been ambitious throughout, we have created new pedestrianised high streets, widened bridges over live railway lines and this is our latest accomplishment, reconfiguring an outdated and outmoded Whipps Cross roundabout into a modern interchange which will allow all road users to access the area safely and with confidence.

“I look forward to seeing the works concluded, including seeing former road space returned to the Forest this spring.”

Nigel Hardy, Transport for London’s head of programme sponsorship, said: “Creating healthy streets which enable people to walk, cycle and use public transport is vital to tackling London’s toxic air whilst supporting growth across the capital.

“Adding protected cycling space to Whipps Cross Interchange will reduce danger to the most vulnerable road users and the new bus interchange will make it even easier to use public transport to travel around the borough and beyond.

“We will continue to work closely with Waltham Forest Council on our investment in the borough so we can build on the impressive changes we have seen so far.”

Work is expected to continue on the interchange until spring 2019.