Road speeds will be cut in “many locations” across London as part of an £87m investment in new cycle lanes, bus lanes, pedestrian crossings and school streets.
Transport for London announced on Friday that was allocating £87.6m to the capital’s 33 boroughs to fund “safer streets” schemes and bus improvements in the coming financial year
The funding - an increase of nine per cent, or £7.2m on last year - could see more borough-wide 20mph speed limits.
But 14 boroughs did not receive a penny for safer streets. These were Bexley, Brent, Bromley, City of London, Hammersmith and Fulham, Havering, Hounslow, Islington, Kensington and Chelsea, Kingston, Merton, Southwark, Tower Hamlets and Wandsworth.
Over the next three years, TfL expects the boroughs to help deliver 222 more school streets, 265 pedestrian crossings, 95km (60 miles) of additional cycleways and at least 20km (12.5 miles) of new bus lanes.
However, turning these plans in to reality is subject to ongoing funding in subsequent years.
The £87m for 2025/26 includes £16.3m to be spent on cycleways, £13m on bus priority measures, £8m on safer streets and £4.1m on parking bays for e-scooters and e-bikes, such as those provided by Lime and Forest.
Amounts offered to boroughs ranged from £5m in Barking and Dagenham to £3m in Lambeth, £1.4m in Tower Hamlets and £841,000 in Kensington and Chelsea.
TfL commissioner Andy Lord said there would be “strong progress against Vision Zero”, with “lower speeds in many locations and 10 scheme to tackle danger at junctions”.
Vision Zero aims to eliminate all deaths and serious injuries from the city's transport network by 2041.
The bus schemes include measures to improve bus reliability, such as changes to bus lane hours and measures to tackle congestion “pinch points” where buses are routinely delayed.
The funding is the first tranche for the new “local implementation plans” put forward by the boroughs for schemes over the next three years.
The boroughs apply for cash and their schemes are approved if they are judged by TfL to be in line with London mayor Sir Sadiq Khan’s citywide transport strategy, which seeks to reduce car use, improve road safety and boost cycling, walking and the use of public transport.
Two funds are available to the boroughs – a safer streets fund and a “better bus partnerships fund”.
Boroughs shortlisted for the bus schemes include Barnet, Haringey, Kingston, Lewisham, Richmond, Southwark, Sutton and Wandsworth.
Road safety schemes include improved pedestrian crossings at Redcliffe Gardens in Kensington and Chelsea and a new “straight across” crossing on King’s Cross Road at the junction with Pentonville Road, which is due to be completed by the end of July.
Lambeth bridge will be closed on occasion throughout the year as work progresses to make the junction with Millbank and Horseferry Road safer.
TfL said that the last three years the boroughs had created 190 school streets, 289 new pedestrian crossings and more than 100 low traffic neighbourhoods (LTNs).
Will Norman, London’s walking and cycling commissioner, said: “This funding for boroughs, a significant increase on last year, shows the mayor’s commitment to improving walking and cycling in London.”
Christina Calderato, TfL's director of strategy, said: “This investment will enable boroughs across the capital to tackle road danger, increase the reliability of our bus network and contribute to the continued expansion of Cycleways in London.
“We will continue working closely with every borough to show that, together, we can create cleaner, safer roads across London that encourage people to walk, cycle and use public transport.”
