Increase in funding and greater freedom over spending for Waltham Forest 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 £4.6m of funding from Transport for London (TfL) for Waltham Forest 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 £4.6m package will allow the borough to finance several schemes to improve local transport for residents including:

  • £540,000 road renewal works on Lea Bridge Road to repair any uneven surfaces, potholes and cracks. This will make journeys smoother and safer for all road users
  • £300,000 for railway bridge strengthening in the borough
  • £200,000 for a safety scheme in the Langthorne area that will include 20mph traffic calming measures such as entry treatments and road narrowing. This scheme will reduce the number of collisions involving vulnerable road users
  • £75,000 for  the provision of a new foot and cycle path (including new lighting, fencing and signing) between Lockwood Way and Coppermill Lane, adjacent to the Maynard Reservoirs and running underneath the Barking - Gospel Oak railway line. The link has the potential to become a full-blown Key Walking Route in future years as it would provide a valuable link between the regeneration area along Blackhorse Lane and the existing built up area between Forest Road and Walthamstow High Street with Blackhorse Road Station
  • £110,000 for cycle training and £20,000 for cycle parking in shopping centres

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 Waltham Forest a budget of £4.6m 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 Waltham Forest:

 20mph zones  535,000
 Bus priority  925,000
 Bus stop accessibility  65,000
 Controlled parking  40,000
 Education, training, publicity  8,000
 London cycling network  +274,000
 Accessibility  105,000
 Local safety schemes  940,000
 Cycling  230,000
 Principal road renewal  540,000
 School travel plans  260,000
 Streets for people  70,000
 Travel awareness  27,000
 Walking  125,000
 Trial funding  100,000
 Bridge strengthening and assessment   350,000
 TOTAL:  4,594,000

  • Each London borough has a Local Implementation Plan (LIP) approved by the Mayor containing proposals to implement the Mayor's Transport Strategy locally. While Transport for London (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