Forum Topic

£50m funding ringfenced for cycling

Grant Shapps' letter to Sadiq Khan says that £50m should be spent on active travel schemes by June in the latest funding deal for TfL. SO while TfL will need to raise revenues from other sources such as boundary charges / payment per journey for cars, cycle and safer streets schemes are protected and invested in by the government. The Boroughs that have shown leadership in the past two years like Hounslow can expect more funds for their schemes while those that have not like RBKC will likely not receive LIP funding.

Paul Campbell ● 1670d14 Comments

Grant Shapps made it clear that; "I am not prepared to tolerate hastily introduced schemes, which will create sweeping changes to communities without consultation, or ones where the benefits to cycling and walking do not outweigh the dis-benefits for other road users. The Government has consistently made clear to local authorities the importance of consulting on schemes, whether they are temporary, permanent or experimental. Engaging with communities, including those in affected neighbouring areas, is key to delivering a scheme that works for all."It is deeply unfortunate that Hounslow Council has done little more than pay lip service to Grant Shapp's injunction.

Cllr Sam Hearn ● 1670d

And we lucky people in Chiswick mustn't be greedy, hogging all these transformative life-improving initiatives. I'm sure the rest of the borough will be desperate to get their share of the largesse next time around.

Bruce Hammal ● 1670d

Talk about hypocrisy and running with the Hares whilst hunting with the hounds...Cake and eating  it comes to mind

Loraine Pemberton ● 1670d

Cllr Hearn, how is your claim that Grant Shapps is insisting on proper consultation and effective schemes possibly correct given the time scales here. If the money needs to be spent by June there is no way that this can happen.Is it not the case that the reason there is such a ridiculously short timescale for this is that the person controlling your party's policy on transport in London is aware that he will be sacked after the next local elections and is insisting on these measures are rushed through?How can you possibly justify TfL being required to divert such a significant part of its budget to active travel schemes that are likely to be hastily conceived and often counterproductive as a result when key public transport services are being reduced, strikes are likely to become endemic because of the requirement to reduce staff costs and the fares paid by commuters are rising at their fastest level for years?

Francis Rowe ● 1669d

"How can you possibly justify TfL being required to divert such a significant part of its budget to active travel schemes that are likely to be hastily conceived"Am I missing something, or is it Sadiq Khan who is doing this? Isn't he the one presiding over the disaster that is the TfL budget? Aided and abetted by Hounslow Labour?

David Lesniak ● 1669d

That's electioneering. Sam doesn't want the people who usually vote Conservative in Chiswick to know that the Conservative government:- Published statutory guidance to Hounslow and all Councils to install cycle lanes and LTNS. The guidance included the standards for consultation, which Hounslow subsequently followed to the letter- Set aside central government funding for the schemes- Installed a pro-cycling and LTN adviser in TfL to oversee the approvals process for schemes, the funding allocations and adherence with the standards- Established a process whereby the Council had to submit costed proposals for their schemes in order to secure the funding in a two-week timeframe- Approved and funded schemes that met the standards including those in Hounslow and including the South Chiswick LTN with the Staveley Road filter- Invited Hanif Khan to Downing Street to personally congratulate him on his leadership and successful execution of the schemes they approved and funded- Ignored personal letters to both Boris Johnson and Grant Shapps containing desperate pleas from the Conservative Councillors in Chiswick and OneChiswick for them to intervene to stop the schemes in Chiswick (amusingly local protesters even wrote to Keir Starmer begging him to stop the Hounslow Cabinet)- Has prioritised active travel in London in the latest funding plan for TfL with another £50m of funding and instructions to spend it in the next four months. I'll spare the opponents of such schemes the horror of explaining what Grant Shapps means by Local Transport Note 1/20.Let's just say that is involves taking road space from cars. (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/951074/cycle-infrastructure-design-ltn-1-20.pdf)The reality that Sam is trying to hide from the voters is that when Chiswick people vote Conservative in May they are voting for more cycle lanes and LTNs. The government has made it clear exactly where its priorities lie.

Paul Campbell ● 1669d

Unfortunately for Paul, people in Chiswick are smart enough to know how and why these schemes are upon us.Also unfortunately for Paul, people can see right through his bullsh*t.

David Lesniak ● 1669d

Absolutely right, Francis. Surely Cllr Hearn will address your point in due course. Or might not.

Stewart Jones ● 1669d

Sorry David but the stopped clock principle applies here and Paul Campbell is right. These measures are the result of government policies and the way they are being implemented is laid down by the Active Travel Oversight Group which is effectively Andrew Gilligan. As Paul says, Councils who co-operate will get their share of this £50 million. Councils who don't like Ealing and RBKC may get nothing.

Francis Rowe ● 1668d

The design of the schemes is down to the local authorities - yes there are parameters but there is no central oversight. TfL have been remarkably lenient when it comes to timescales for implementation. South of the A4 the many schemes have been rolled out piecemeal in an erratic and irrational manner.Hounslow has chosen to ignore the results of it poorly designed consultations, the numerous petitions, the huge amount of mail that they have received from residents (most of it against the LTNs as designed) and the findings of its Overview and Scrutiny Call In Panel. All across London poorly designed LTN schemes have come in with huge fanfares only to be ripped out a few months later. In Ealing the LTN schemes brought down the Labour Leader. In Hounslow the main sponsor of the schemes Cllr Hanif Khan has failed to be reselected for his existing ward and has failed to yet find a safe bolt hole. Maybe he would like to run in a Chiswick Ward? Yes you can accuse me of electioneering but the facts are clear. I have spent two and a half years working quietly behind the scenes with local residents groups, officers and cabinet members trying to get local schemes redesigned and made both more effective and more reflective of residents views. They just have not listened.Those familiar with project management methodologies know that delivering a project that works involves patient hard work over an extended period - rushing at things like a mad bull is a recipe for disaster. Act in haste and repent at leisure.When I visited the Waltham Forest LTN's all those years ago, I was given two key pieces of advice 1. consult, consult and consult (it saves time in the long run) 2. Do not accept TfL's financial deadlines - push back and work only to deadlines that you are comfortable with. Now we have an election and residents can choose. Vote Labour and get badly designed and poorly implemented road schemes imposed from above OR vote Conservative for a comprehensive independent review of all existing LTNS and cycleways followed by a binding public consultation on all the practical options. In addition the Conservatives promise a moratorium on any new schemes until they too have been subjected to a comprehensive and independent review. There will be no spades in the carriage way until residents have been fully consulted and broad agreement reached.  Hounslow have already worked up the plans for Phase 3 and these will be rolled out after the May election unless you tell them where to stick their plans and their 'broken' project management methodology. 

Cllr Sam Hearn ● 1668d

Sorry, Francis, I don't see a problem with councils and councillors listening and representing their constituents.I'm puzzled why democracy at the community level is incapable of doing just that. I guess that's why Hanif Khan was deselected. Otherwise it appears to be nothing more than greed and selfishness on every level. If that floats your boat, so be it.

David Lesniak ● 1668d

If only you’d said that in the first place.....lol

Stewart Jones ● 1668d

David, I entirely agree that council and councillors should listen and represent their constituents however the way these schemes are being implemented precludes that and the way in which it is being done is determined by the government.

Francis Rowe ● 1667d

You know Active Travel isn't only cycling? The overwhelming majority of active travel is done on foot. So it is something of a misleading headline, not supported by the quoted passage of Grant Shapps' letter.

Mark Warburton ● 1667d