Mayor announces over £4.1m for local transport improvements in the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames

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 £4.1m funding package in 2012/13 will finance a range of transport projects in the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames, including:

• £1.6m for traffic and public realm improvements for Tolworth Broadway that will contribute to the wider regeneration of Tolworth town centre
• £60,000 to complete the borough's Bus Stop Accessibility Programme
• £225,000 to support School Travel Plans and introduce improved access and safety improvements to encourage more children to walk and cycle to school
• £30,000 to support the development of Electric Vehicle bays
• £308,000 to implement a number of cycling measures, including more cycle parking and new crossings for cyclists in line with the Mayor's Cycle Revolution

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 the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames it financed cycle training for 1,370 children and 103 adults, nine improved pedestrian crossings, the removal of 80 metres of guardrail, 16 new accessible bus stops, 25 schools to participate in walking events and 11 new on-street car club bays.

Working in partnership

Notable larger projects undertaken in Kingston this year include the St James Road Key Walking Route which has used £230,000 LIP funding to significantly improve the walking environment between Kingston's shopping area and key destinations including Kingston College, University, Crown and County Courts and Civic Centre, using simple but effective measures to provide a much neater, uncluttered street that makes walking more enjoyable and convenient.

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: