Islington gets extra £297k for road safety from London Mayor

A road safety scheme at the new Morland Street Primary School is among the Islington projects set to receive an extra £297,000 in funding from the Mayor of London.

Last week (14 February) Mayor Sadiq Khan announced an extra £11.6 million in Transport for London’s 2018/19 budget for the capital’s local authorities, bringing the total to £237 million.

Cllr Claudia Webbe, Islington’s executive member for environment and transport, said the council is “delighted” by the news, which she said will mean an extra £297,000 for the borough’s road safety and public spaces.

A council spokesperson said this brings the total Islington Council will receive for streets and neighbourghoods in 2018/19 to £1,954,000.

The investment comes as the government prepares to end Transport for London’s annual £700 million operational subsidy.

Cllr Webbe said: “We are delighted by the Mayor’s announcement.

“It will provide additional funding for a number of local transport schemes in the borough including a road safety scheme at the new Moreland Street Primary school, a road safety scheme in Tufnell Park, and improved public spaces in Mildmay and Canonbury.”

The extra TfL money is funded by higher than expected revenue paid to the Mayor of London from local authorities’ business rates.

It will go to help councils invest in “reducing road danger, transforming local environments, encouraging cycling and walking, accessibility and improving air quality”, according to the Mayor’s Office.

Mayor Khan said: “Over the course of the next five years, we’ve committed an unprecedented £1 billion for boroughs to improve local neighbourhoods across London – with a focus on schemes that encourage walking and cycling, making our high streets cleaner and more enjoyable places to spend time.

“The extra £11.6 million funding I’m announcing in this year’s budget means more funding to get projects off the ground this year, with boroughs having more money available to them than any year under the previous Mayor.

He added: “We will continue to work closely with boroughs to ensure these schemes are the very best they can be, and truly transform quality of life for Londoners right across the city.”