Transport services and town centres in South London have been given a New Year boost, as the Mayor and Transport for London (TfL) have confirmed £148 million in funding for improvement projects in London's boroughs in 2016/17.

The annual borough funding is provided by TfL to help the boroughs pay for local transport projects set out in their Local Implementation Plans (LIPs). LIPs are plans that show how the boroughs will support the Mayor's Transport Strategy in their area. For 2016/17, TfL's financial support for the boroughs' LIPs has been maintained at £147.8 million and will fund improvements that benefit local communities.

The funding will support a range of different transport projects across South London delivered by the boroughs. Local areas will see safer roads, better public spaces, improved walking facilities and cycling made safer and easier.

Each borough will receive:

  • Bromley - £4.9 million including a £1.4 million project to improve Beckenham Town Centre and make it easier and more attractive to get around on foot
  • Croydon - £4.8 million including £550,000 towards a high street improvement scheme for London Road, which will improve safety and access for pedestrians while also maintaining and enhancing the vitality of this local shopping street
  • Kingston - £2.8 million which includes a £780,000 project to enhance the Kingston Riverside area and improve safety and access to the riverside, which will complement the wider redevelopment in the area
  • Greenwich - £6.3 million including £2.8 million to complete public realm improvements in Eltham High Street and £150,000 to help fund improvements to the Thames path at Charlton Riverside
  • Bexley - £4.5 million including £500,000 for road safety schemes that will help further reduce the number of collisions in the borough, including boosting safety around schools;
  • Lambeth - £3.9 million including £250,000 towards the major scheme to transform roads in Norwood, which will make walking and cycling a safer, more attractive, more convenient transport option;
  • Merton - £3.3 million which includes £100,000 to help transform Morden Town Centre, which may include the removal of the main road gyratory;
  • Southwark - £4.1 million including £820,000 to improve safety at Camberwell, particularly for cyclists and pedestrians;
  • Sutton - £1.9 million including £320,000 towards the Beddington Gateways major scheme that will protect and enhance residential and environmental amenities in the Beddington industrial area;
  • Lewisham - £3.4 million including £672,000 to design improvements to Deptford High Street and improve the environment for pedestrians;
  • Wandsworth - £3.1 million including £800,000 towards introducing 20mph limits across the borough to help make streets safer.

The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson MP, said: `This latest round of funding will help to transform scores of locations in all four corners of our great city. It is specifically targeted to help make our roads, town centres and open spaces more attractive places with better facilities for walking and safer cycling. By helping the boroughs deliver on important local transport schemes, we can help to spur jobs and growth across London.'

London's Transport Commissioner, Mike Brown MVO, said: `People in South London will see real improvements to their local areas as a result of this funding. Working with South London boroughs, hundreds of transport projects will be delivered that will benefit pedestrians and road users through safer streets and improved public squares and shopping areas. These improvements will help transform communities and boost the local economy.'

In addition to funding for boroughs, TfL is working with them to help further improve the efficiency of the delivery of projects, ensuring value for money and keeping disruption to a minimum.

Last year, the boroughs in South London used TfL funding to deliver a range of improvements for local communities, through safer junctions, reduced traffic speeds and better walking routes.

Significant projects in South London awarded funding last year included:

  • Bromley - £570,000 towards measures to relieve congestion across the borough, ensuring smoother and safer journeys for all road users
  • Lambeth - £285,000 for the second stage of the award-winning Vauxhall Walk, which creates an avenue of public realm, pedestrian and cycle improvements
  • Wandsworth - £450,000 towards a programme of traffic, environmental and streetscape measures aimed at improving safety, access and 'sense of place' in local town centres and shopping streets, such as Southfields.
  1. Each borough produces a Local Implementation Plan (LIP) to demonstrate how they plan to implement the Mayor's Transport Strategy locally. While Transport for London allocates funding for individual schemes, the LIP and delivery of individual projects is the responsibility of each borough.
  2. The overall 2016/17 LIPs budget of £147.8 million is allocated as follows:
  • £74.25 million is allocated for Corridors, Neighbourhoods & Supporting Measures
  • £28 million is allocated to Major Schemes
  • £8.9 million is awarded for Bridge Strengthening (individual allocations to boroughs to be made in January 2016)
  • £10.3 million is allocated for Traffic Signal Modernisation for sites across London
  • £4.35 million is allocated for apprenticeships, staff training and support for partnerships
  • £21 million is allocated for Principal Road Maintenance based on condition surveys
  • £1 million is held for Principal Road Maintenance emergency works and condition surveys