Mayor provides £3.9m investment in transport for Southwark to help boost the local economy

• TfL to help reduce costs and co-ordinate works on the boroughs main roads to reduce impact of roadworks

The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, has today announced £3.9m for Southwark to invest in transport projects that will benefit the local community.  

TfL has allocated the money through Local Implementation Plan (LIP) funding for the borough to spend on projects that support the Mayor's Transport Strategy.

The funding is awarded to support projects in the London boroughs that will make cycling safer and easier, improve walking facilities, make roads safer, smooth traffic flow and breathe new life into town centres, public squares and local shopping areas to boost the local economy.

The £3.9m funding package in 2013/14 will finance a range of transport projects including:

• £370,000 to improve the flow of traffic as well as safety and access for all users on Rotherhithe New Road and Hawkstone Road.  The works will ensure easy access for pedestrians and cyclists into Southwark Park
• £350,000 for improved pedestrian crossings and junctions on East Dulwich Grove between Lordship Lane and Townley Road to make it safer and easier for pedestrians and cyclists to cross

Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, said: 'This funding will benefit all of London and everyone living in, working in or visiting Southwark. 

'A world-class city deserves a world-class transport system and the borough will use this money to make significant improvements for local people.'

This year, two new measures have been introduced which will help the boroughs to drive down their costs, deliver value for money and minimise the disruption caused by construction works and road maintenance.  

Boroughs can use the new London Highways Alliance Contracts (LoHAC) to avoid the need for each authority to separately appoint contractors to undertake works. 

These are four area-based joint highway contracts awarded in November by TfL and the boroughs to reduce costs, provide consistency in the quality of works and materials and to minimise disruption.

Real improvements

In addition, projects undertaken on main roads in the boroughs will be coordinated by TfL so that the method and timing of roadworks is managed to reduce their impact in the Capital and associated inconvenience and disruption to residents and road users.

London's Transport Commissioner, Peter Hendy CBE, said: 'We are working in partnership with Southwark and with all the London boroughs to bring real improvements to communities across the city. 

'The borough will be using this investment to fund hundreds of projects that will benefit all road users, including cyclists and pedestrians.

'Public squares and local shopping areas will be rejuvenated, attracting more people to the area to boost the local economy.'

Continued investment

Last year in Southwark, it funded 152 new on street cycle parking spaces, cycle training for 857 children and 635 adults, the removal of 666 metres of guardrail and 12 new on-street car club bays.

Notable larger projects to be undertaken include continued investment across the Rotherhithe peninsula to promote walking and cycling in the area.

The project will receive £314,000 to improve lighting in the Greenways of Russia Dock Woodland and near Peter Hills School for users to feel safe after dark.

The scheme coordinates with smarter travel and road safety works in Rotherhithe commenced in the 2011/12 financial year.

• Each borough produces a LIP to demonstrate how they plan to implement the Mayor's Transport Strategy locally. While Transport individual projects is the responsibility of each borough