Merton Transport Improvements Coming Soon

Boris pledges more local transport schemes

Funding of £2.7m will be used for transport improvements in Merton, London Mayor Boris Johnson has announced.

TfL has allocated the money through Local Implementation Plan (LIP) funding for the borough to spend on projects that support the Mayor's Transport Strategy.

The funding is awarded to support projects in the London boroughs that will make cycling safer and easier, improve walking facilities, make roads safer, smooth traffic flow and breathe new life into town centres, public squares and local shopping areas to boost the local economy.

The £2.7m funding package in 2013/14 will finance a range of projects in Merton, including:

  • £260,000 to improve the area into Mitcham Town Centre for pedestrians and spruce up the town centre.  Works will include new bus stands to encourage more public transport journeys into the town centre, decluttering of street furniture, new pedestrian and cycle paths to encourage walking and cycling as well as planting new trees;
  • £330,000 for a number of improvements for cyclists, including new cycle lanes, cycle parking and a borough wide cycle training programme. These measures are in line with Merton’s objective to encourage more people to cycle and are being delivered alongside the council’s Biking Borough initiatives;
  • £260,000 towards the Colliers Wood corridor project.  Measures will include smoothing traffic flow along the A298/A238 - east-west corridor by decongesting junctions, improving pedestrian and cycle facilities as well as improving the environment and safety around the former Brown & Root Tower by decluttering and repaving streets.

Mayor of London, Boris Johnson said: "This funding will benefit all of London and everyone living in, working in or visiting Merton.  A world class city deserves a world class transport system and the borough will use this money to make significant improvements for local people."

In addition, the £3.8billion TfL Business Plan unveiled on Wednesday (December 12) includes improvements to the Wimbledon-Croydon tramlink and the planned upgrade to the Northern Line.

Local Tory Transport Spokesman, Councillor Richard Hilton said: "The unprecedented level of investment Boris is putting into Merton transport infrastructure is very welcome. We're particularly pleased with the planned upgrade to the Northern line, increasing capacity and extending the route to Nine Elms. This is very good news for our residents in South Wimbledon, Morden and Colliers Wood.

"We're also delighted the successful Tramlink between Wimbledon and Croydon is being developed with Boris' plan to buy four new trams and introduce double tracking in key sections of the route to increase both frequency and capacity of the tram service."

Last year in Merton, TfL financed 192 cycle parking spaces, cycle training for 1,916 children and 169 adults, three improved pedestrian crossings, the removal of 924 metres of guardrail, for 25 schools to participate in walking events and 433 new street trees.

December 14, 2012