The borough’s controversial cycling scheme is celebrating its fifth anniversary this week.

In March 2014, Waltham Forest Council won £27 million in funding from Transport for London to start implementing changes as part of its Enjoy Waltham Forest scheme, or Mini Holland.

Five years on, the borough has new cycle lanes, traffic calming measures, pedestrianised areas and transport filter systems.

Last year, a Kings College report paid for by the council claimed the scheme has added a further six weeks to the life expectancy of children in the borough.

But the scheme has not proved universally popular. A national charity accused the council of ignoring its legal obligations to the blind in its Mini Holland designs and campaigners have claimed traffic on roads not part of the scheme has increased.

Yesterday Will Norman, the GLA’s walking and cycling commissioner, took a tour of the borough’s Mini Holland to see it for himself and a group of residents, councillors, and council partners gathered at the town hall yesterday to mark the occasion.

Since the successful funding bid five years ago, the scheme has seen the introduction of:

22km of segregated cycle lanes

40 filters that block off certain streets to cars to prevent rat running

100 junction changes

700 new trees

Nearly 300 new bike hangars

Seven station cycle hubs providing 477 secure parking spaces

15 new pocket parks (wildflower beds and green spaces)

Will Norman said: “I’m delighted to see how Waltham Forest has been transformed through Mini-Holland funding. The fact that more people are choosing to cycle and walk more often brings huge benefits, from increased life expectancy and better air quality, to encouraging people to shop locally.”

Cllr Clyde Loakes, deputy council leader and cabinet member for the environment, added: “We’re well on the road to achieving our vision, creating a place where everyone can feel safe on the roads whether you’re a pedestrian, cyclist or motorist.

“The most rewarding outcome of our work has been realising that we’re not only improving the travel experience for our most vulnerable residents, but we’re making a long lasting impact on our residents’ health, improving our environment with better air quality and encouraging people to be more active and lead a healthier life.”

Other measures the council has introduced to complement the Mini Holland scheme include:

More than 5,000 adults trained to ride a bike

More than 7,500 schoolchildren trained to cycle

More than 12,000 free bike services

More than 50 schools joined the TfL Sustainable Travel, Active, Responsible, Safe scheme

More than 450 adult bikes and more than 300 cargo bikes loaned to residents, businesses and community groups for free.

Waltham Forest Council is expecting to complete the bulk of its Mini Holland programme over the next 12 months, but said it will continue to look at other opportunities to extend the impact of the programme across the borough.