At Kenson Highways, we’re always proud to play our part in supporting local communities — and this year’s VE Day celebrations in Redbridge were a fantastic example of what can be achieved when councils, residents, and partners work together.
On the 80th anniversary of VE Day, Redbridge celebrated in true community spirit, with almost 20 street parties taking place across the borough. These events weren’t just about marking a historic date — they brought neighbours together, strengthened community ties, and gave people of all ages the chance to reflect on the sacrifices of previous generations.
A Team Effort for a Safe and Memorable Day
The success of these street parties was thanks to a well-coordinated effort by Redbridge Council’s Highways, Communications, and Strategy teams, working closely with partners like Kenson Highways to deliver safe, well-managed events.
To make it as easy as possible for communities to celebrate together, Redbridge Council waived all road closure costs for residents applying to host a street party — a great example of removing barriers to community participation.
At Kenson Highways, we provided the essential traffic management services to keep each event running smoothly. This included supplying cones and signage for temporary road closures, ensuring that partygoers could enjoy their celebrations safely, and that traffic was appropriately diverted where needed.
Keeping the Borough Connected and Informed
In addition to managing physical closures, the council also:
- Notified the London Resilience team to ensure borough-wide awareness of the events
- Logged all road closures and diversions in one.network, so that mapping systems and navigation apps like Apple Maps and Google Maps were updated in real time — a crucial step in minimising disruption for local motorists
The Council’s Communications team added an extra touch of celebration by providing bespoke banners, flags, and bunting to street party organisers, giving each event a truly festive atmosphere.
A Proud Redbridge Tradition
Cllr Blackman, Cabinet Member for Environment and Sustainability, summed up the spirit of the day perfectly:
“VE Day was a great opportunity for residents to come together and honour the legacy of previous generations. Redbridge has a proud tradition of street parties and I’m grateful to officers for facilitating these again this year.”
We couldn’t agree more.
At Kenson Highways, we’re honoured to have played a part in supporting Redbridge’s VE Day celebrations and proud to continue working alongside the council to help foster safe, vibrant, and connected communities.
