Increased funding and greater freedom over spending for Brent to renew roads, 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 £5.3m of funding from Transport for London (TfL) for Brent to deliver local transport improvements during the financial year 2009/10.

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

The £5.3m package will allow the borough to finance several schemes to improve local transport for residents including:

  • £900,000 for the Hazelmere Streets for People scheme that will provide local residents with better lighting, CCTV, new parking arrangements and new trees. The scheme builds on the local travel plan adopted by the local community and aims make the area safer and more pleasant
  • £365,000 for the Harrow Road Local Safety Scheme that incorporates the installation of bus facilities and traffic signals to make the area safer and cut the number of road deaths
  • £240,000 for the Shaftesbury Avenue 20mph scheme that will see the introduction of traditional 20mph traffic calming measures and road narrowing to reduce the number of road accidents and deaths
  • £110,000 for cycle training and £30,000 for a local cycle route between Kilburn and Harlesden

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 Brent a budget of £5.3m 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 Brent:
 20mph zones   £520,000
 Bus Priority   £1000,000
 Bus Stop Accessibility   £80,000
 Education, Training, Publicity   £25,000
 Environment   £30,000
 London Cycling Network+  £286,000
 Accessibility   £60,000
 Local Safety Schemes   £870,000
 Cycling   £213,000
 Principal road renewal   £625,000
 School Travel Plans   £195,000
 Streets For People   £900,000
 Travel Awareness   £22,000
 Walking   £225,00
 Work Travel Plans   £20,000
 Trial funding   £100,000
 Bridge Strengthening and Assessment   £90,000
 TOTAL:  £5,261,000
  • 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 LIPs 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