Increase in funding and greater freedom over spending for Merton 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 £2.7m of funding from Transport for London (TfL) for Merton 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 £2.7m package will allow the borough to finance several schemes to improve local transport for residents including:

  • £456,000 road renewal works on London Road to repair any uneven surfaces, potholes and cracks. Pedestrians and vehicles will benefit from smooth, defect-free roads resulting in safer journeys in the boroughs
  • £100,000 for various bus priority measures at South Wimbledon Station junction and along Merton High Street and Merton Road. This will ensure quicker and more reliable journeys for bus passengers
  • £100,000 for a key walking route on Raynes Park that will be part of a new direct pedestrian link to Wimbledon. The planned improvements in future years include widening and improving footways, improved legibility and improved walking access to local schools
  • £80,000 for improved cycling and pedestrian safety along Green Lane, including new road layout that will keep parked cars away from cyclists. Work is also being done to reduce vehicle speed will improve visibility and general safety for residents and road users
  • £35,000 to deliver the Walk Once a Week (WoW) scheme across all schools in Merton

Mayor of London, Boris Johnson 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 Merton a budget of £2.7m 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 Merton:
 20mph zones £164,000
 Bus Priority £675,000
 Bus Stop Accessibility £75,000
 Education, Training, Publicity £55,000
 Freight £30,000
 London Cycling Network+ £286,000
 Accessibility £60,000
 Local Safety Schemes £356,000
 Cycling £65,000
 Parallel Initiatives £25,000
 Principal road renewal £456,000
 School Travel Plans £246,000
 Travel Awareness £20,000
 Walking £119,000
 Trial funding £100,000
 TOTAL: £2,730,000
  • Each London borough has a 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