The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, has today announced over £3.4m for transport improvements in Camden.

Every London borough is receiving money that will directly benefit communities, making London an even better place to live and work.

The funding has been allocated by Transport for London (TfL) through the Local Implementation Plan (LIP) process and is awarded to the borough to spend on projects that support the Mayor's Transport Strategy, including safer roads, smoothing traffic flow, rejuvenating town centres and better facilities for cycling and walking.

The £3.4m funding package in 2012/13 will finance a range of transport projects in Camden, including:

  • £505,000 over three years for public realm improvements in Fitzrovia, which could include road layout improvements for cyclists, Legible London pedestrian signage, new trees, cycle parking, decluttering and a review of waiting and loading restrictions
  • £323,000 for pedestrian and road safety improvements in West Hampstead, including a possible 20mph zone to the area west of Finchley Road, cycle safety and access measures and improved Legible London pedestrian signage, which will complement the interchange improvements completed for West Hampstead Station in 2010/11
  • £325,000 over two years for road safety and public realm improvements in the Holborn area, including an improved pedestrian crossing across Kingsway, cycle parking, decluttering, new street trees, car club and electric vehicle bays, as well as bus stop accessibility
  • £300,000 Major Scheme funding to support the next stage of the proposed public realm transformation and introduction of two-way traffic for Tottenham Court Road and Gower Street. The wider West End scheme also includes improvements at 'Euston Circus' at the northern end of Tottenham Court Road and St Giles
  • £90,000 to provide free cycle training for cyclists of all ages

Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, said: 'London is undergoing a neo-Victorian level of investment in its transport network. 

'Every London borough is receiving money that will directly benefit communities, making London an even better place to live and work. 

'We've also cut bureaucracy to make it easier for the boroughs to decide how they want to spend their funding.'

The LIP funds hundreds of large and small scale transport projects every year. 

Last year in Camden it financed 2,000 on-street cycle parking spaces, cycle training for 713 children and 405 adults, removal of 297 metres of guardrail, 12 new off-street electric vehicle charging points and 24 new street trees.

Notable larger projects undertaken in Camden this year include works in Bloomsbury (Montague Place, Great Russell Street, Byng Place and Malet Street) to create substantial new public spaces and widened footways for people to enjoy this historic quarter of London.

Innovative projects

Neighbouring Russell Square has seen the re-introduction of two way working and the removal of a significant amount of traffic from the other three sides of the square, thus creating more space for pedestrians. 

These projects received a total of £4.4m from the LIP.

London's Transport Commissioner, Peter Hendy, said: 'Year-on-year the boroughs continue to deliver innovative projects that support the Mayor's vision for transport in the capital. 

'This investment will build on the excellent work that has already been achieved and complement the huge programme of work we at TfL are undertaking to make his vision a reality through working in partnership with the boroughs.'

The funding was previously forecast to reduce year on year to reflect the reduced general grant TfL receives from the Department for Transport.  However, because of the importance of the boroughs in delivering the priorities of Mayor's Transport Strategy, the funding has been kept at a consistent level to 2013/14.

Notes to editors:

  • Each borough produces a LIP to demonstrate how they plan to implement the Mayor's Transport Strategy locally. While TfL allocates funding for individual schemes, the LIP and delivery of individual projects is the responsibility of each borough
  • A detailed breakdown of funding for bridge strengthening projects (£5.3m), which will be allocated to the bridges in most need of work will be announced in the New Year
  • Total allocation by programme area:

 Programme  Allocation across London (£m)
 Principal road maintenance  413
 Local transport funding  100
 Major schemes  500
 Corridors, neighbourhoods and supporting measures  2,419
 Total  3,432