Increase in funding and greater freedom over spending for Tower Hamlets to cut road deaths, improve town centres and cycling facilities, tackle the school run and carry out essential main road maintenance.

The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, today announced £2.4m of funding from Transport for London (TfL) for Tower Hamlets to deliver local transport improvements during the financial year 2009/10.

As well as increasing next year's local transport funding from TfL  - up to £168.3m from £161m in 2008/09 - the Mayor also confirmed that London's boroughs will have greater freedom in choosing local transport projects.

TfL has included £100,000 for the borough council to spend locally on transport as it chooses.

The £2.4m package will allow the borough to finance several schemes to improve local transport for residents including:

  • £277,000 road renewal works on Cambridge Heath Road to repair any uneven surfaces, potholes and cracks. This will improve journeys and safety for all road users
  • £275,000 to improve cycling provision in the Vyner Street area. Measures will include a contraflow along Bonner Street, traffic calming and junction improvements. This will improve safety for all road users whilst making conditions more pleasant for local residents due to reduced vehicle speeds
  • £153,000 for a walking improvement scheme on Abbott Road. This will improve accessibility to a newly created open space that is currently partly severed from the local community by Abbott Road. The walking environment will be improved through new, level pavements and better crossing facilities
  • £150,000 for cycle training and £30,000 for cycle parking improvements
  • £15,000 to help fund the installation of two Electrical Recharging Points in the borough. They will provide an alternative energy source which aims to improve local air quality for businesses, residents, visitors and fleet operators by assisting in reducing CO2 emissions

Boris Johnson, Mayor of London, said: 'When I was elected I promised I would be different and give greater freedom to the Boroughs.

'This is why this year I have introduced a £100,000 award for Boroughs to spend as they choose.

'Boroughs are being given greater freedom to develop and deliver the schemes they want, which means more choice over a range of key local schemes to improve town centres and cycling facilities, tackle the school run and improve local roads.
 
'I am awarding Tower Hamlets a budget of £2.4m next year for local schemes that will make travelling safer, more accessible and more environment-friendly, helping to improve the quality of life for people across the borough.'
 
Funding for local transport schemes is allocated each year by TfL in response to the applications from boroughs based on their Local Implementation [transport] Plans (LIPs).

Funding is currently available for a wide range of programmes including road safety, maintaining borough roads, tackling the school run, improving walking, cycling and the local environment, making transport more accessible and measures to improve bus journeys.

Notes to editors:

Below is a table with a breakdown of Local Implementation Plan funding for Tower Hamlets:

 20mph zones  130,000
 Bus Priority  275,000
 Bus Stop Accessibility  70,000
 Education, Training, Publicity  65,000
 Environment  35,000
 London Cycling Network +365,000
 Local Safety Schemes  225,000
 Cycling  210,000
 Principal road renewal  277,000
 School Travel Plans  204,000
 Streets For People  200,000
 Travel Awareness  32,000
 Walking  218,000
 Trial funding  100,000
 TOTAL:  2,406,000

  • Each London borough has a Local Implementation Plan (LIP) approved by the Mayor containing proposals to implement the Mayor's Transport Strategy locally. While TfL allocates funding for individual schemes, LIP and individual project delivery is the responsibility of each borough 
  • A School Travel Plan is a package of measures, tailored to the needs of individual schools to deliver alternative transport methods for the school run, aiming to reduce single occupancy car journeys to school, cut congestion and increase safety near schools
  • Priorities for Local Implementation Plans include:
  • Improving road safety
  • Encouraging walking and cycling
  • Improving bus journey times and reliability
  • Relieving traffic congestion and improving journey time reliability
  • Improving the working of parking and loading arrangements
  • Improving accessibility for all on the transport network
  • Bringing transport infrastructure into a state of good repair
  • School travel planning
    • Funding can be broken down by LIP programmes as above once final allocations have been approved
    • Electrical Charging points: £390k has been allocated to 12 Boroughs to install a further 70 points across London. The cost of a charging point is £7k. The first on street vehicle charging point in London was implemented in August 2006 in Covent Garden followed by an individual 28 points in 8 Boroughs in 2007 /2008. Information on location of charging points can be found on the newride website