Increase in funding and greater freedom over spending for Kensington & Chelsea 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 £3.6m of funding from Transport for London (TfL) for Kensington & Chelsea to deliver local transport improvements during the financial year 2009/10.

This represents an approximate 25 per cent increase on the £2.7m received last year.

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 £3.6m package will allow the borough to finance several schemes to improve local transport for residents including:

  • £1.89m for Albert Bridge, a listed structure, to be assessed and strengthened. The bridge is currently closed to vehicles over two tons
  • £550,000 for Exhibition Road to undergo significant redevelopment with the widening of footpaths, narrowing of carriageways, improvements of the crossing and complete paving of the road. This will improve safety for pedestrian and other road users
  • £160,000 to improve safety for all road users including pedestrians and cyclists by redeveloping of Holland Park west junction
  • £55,000 for cycle training, £20,000 for cycle parking improvements and a further £20,000 for cycle parking at major visitor attractions

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 Kensington & Chelsea a budget of £3.6m 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 Kensington & Chelsea:
     Bus Priority  £15,000
     Bus Stop Accessibility  £20,000
     Education, Training, Publicity  £12,000
     Environment  £10,000
     London Cycling Network+  £90,000
     Accessibility  £80,000
     Local Safety Schemes  £220,000
     Cycling  £145,000
     Principal road renewal  £229,000
     School Travel Plans  £100,000
     Streets For People  £550,000
     Travel Awareness  £20,000
     Walking  £130,000
     Work Travel Plans  £10,000
     Trial funding  £100,000
     Bridge Strengthening and Assessment  £1890,000
     TOTAL:  £3,621,000
  • 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