New local funding to accelerate transition to zero emission vehicles and tackle air pollution in Lo
Today the Mayor of London, Transport for London (TfL) and London Councils have announced £766,000 of new funding for three local boroughs to help accelerate the switch to zero emission vehicles to tackle London’s toxic air pollution.
The 'Neighbourhoods of the Future' projects include a new school low emission zone in Camden to protect pupils from filthy air, electric charging points in streets in Hackney's markets, and a zero emission street and wider Low Emission Zone near Hammersmith town centre. Camden, Hackney and Hammersmith & Fulham will receive funding for three new projects, which will build on the six that were awarded last year. These were a joint bid from Hackney, Tower Hamlets and Islington (City Fringe), one from Hammersmith & Fulham, a joint bid from Croydon and Sutton, and one each from Harrow, Haringey and Heathrow. Neighbourhoods of the Future projects demonstrate creative thinking in the drive to encourage Londoners to make the urgently required switch to cleaner zero emission vehicles. The successes from these projects in helping people travel to work, school or the shops in a more sustainable way can be replicated across the country as part of the national fight against lethal air pollution. This investment in these local green schemes is supercharging the capital’s trajectory towards a zero emission future.
The £766,000 funding will be matched with around £875,000 from the London boroughs involved, showing a firm commitment from the capital’s municipal leaders to work in partnership with the Mayor to clean up the city’s air. The winning Neighbourhoods of the Future bids, which will give local communities the infrastructure they need to embrace less polluting forms of transport, are:
Camden - 23 schools will benefit from a School Low Emission Neighbourhood in the Frognal and Fitzjohns area. The proposal will see 8,500 pupils at 23 schools benefit from streets in the vicinity being restricted to electric and local access only, electric vehicle charging points in school car parks and points to power up at lamp posts close to home (£720,000 overall funding).
Hackney - electrified market streets that will help businesses and customers make the transition to cleaner vehicles. New charging points on three market streets in the borough will be built into existing features such as bollards and posts, while remaining sensitive to the look-and-feel of the area. The points will serve some of the most diverse and vibrant streets in London, servicing street traders, commercial vehicles and public buildings (£270,000 overall funding)
Hammersmith & Fulham - a Hammersmith Town Centre Low Emission Zone. A trail-blazing local Low Emission Zone that prioritises and encourages the use of the cleanest vehicles. It will build on a proposed zero emission street on Hammersmith Grove. This will be complimented with the installation of an electric taxi rank; a last-mile courier hub; and communication support (£650,000 overall funding).
The London boroughs of Barnet and Redbridge have also confirmed their future involvement in the ‘Neighbourhoods of the Future’ programme, and will be developing projects for funding. This is part of the London-wide effort to clean up the city’s toxic air.
Shirley Rodrigues, the Deputy Mayor of Environment & Energy said: “To get to grips with London’s toxic air health crisis the Mayor has significantly increased air quality funding and these new local schemes will help accelerate the switch to cleaner vehicles around town centres, schools and high streets to help dramatically reduce toxic pollution emissions. “The Mayor is introducing hard-hitting measures to tackle London’s filthy air. He has already brought in a ‘toxicity ‘charge (T-Charge) for older cars in central London, and is upgrading London’s buses into one of the greenest fleets in the world. However he cannot do this alone and the Government needs to urgently face its responsibility and implement a national diesel scrappage fund to take the most polluting vehicles off our roads now.” Alex Williams, TfL’s Director of City Planning, said: “If we are to bring London’s air quality within legal limits it will require us, local authorities and Government to work closely together. The Neighbourhoods of the Future are a fantastic example of how partnership working can lead to innovative projects that make a real difference to Londoners’ lives.”
