New report from City Hall Conservatives claims borough councils are forced to “dance to the mayor’s tune on how funds are spent” on local transport schemes, reports Kumail Jaffer, Local Democracy Reporter

Thomas Turrell at City Hall (credit Thomas Turrell via X)

Sir Sadiq Khan has been accused of forcing councils to spend money on “anti-motorist” schemes rather than fixing potholes.

Thomas Turrell, the Conservative transport spokesperson who sits on the London Assembly, wants to reform the funding system which means that councils need to use Transport for London (TfL) money for “mayoral priorities” such as 20mph zones and low-traffic neighbourhoods (LTNs).

Local implementation plan (LIP) funding is the process through which TfL provides boroughs with financial support. The funding is earmarked for schemes to improve local transport networks “in a way that is consistent with and supports the mayor’s transport strategy,” according to TfL.

As well as changing the criteria through which the money is dished out, the Tories at City Hall also want to boost LIP funding for boroughs, which has been slashed by 40% since the Labour mayor took office in 2016.

In a new report, London’s Crumbling Roads, Turrell called on the mayor to siphon another £95million to restore LIP funding to an adjusted inflation figure in the coming years and to loosen the restrictions which mean it has to all be spent on “anti-car” measures.

“Boroughs which do not support anti-car measures such as LTNs are being locked out of funding pots for this reason, meaning that they cannot access funding for major projects to improve road safety for all road users,” says the report.

“Rather than expecting boroughs to dance to the mayor’s tune on how these funds are spent, this report makes the case that boroughs should be trusted to spend LIP funding where it can be spent most effectively.

“Local knowledge is being overruled by overly centralised processes from TfL, creating many unpopular schemes across London which damages efforts to improve road safety.”

Turrell said the system meant councils were forced to be “reactive” to any road safety issues rather than preventing them in the first place. He recommended splitting LIP funding into two pots, with one for road safety and the other for mayoral priorities.

Other proposals include devolving vehicle excise duty to London and spending the extra cash on fixing the roads, as well as a dedicated £15million pothole repair fund in the mayor’s annual budget.

The report was launched last week at City Hall by Turrell and the Conservative shadow minister for London, Gareth Bacon.

“Years of inadequate funding by central government of local authorities has contributed directly to the crumbling state of London’s roads,” Bacon, a former London Assembly member, said.

“This has coincided with an obvious ideological distaste for motoring on the part of Sadiq Khan and many – usually Labour-run – London boroughs, who have adopted what can only be described as an anti-car culture, with increasingly hostile and punitive policies that raise ever increasing levels of revenue that is not re-invested in planned or reactive road maintenance.”

A spokesperson for the London mayor told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS): “The mayor is committed to cleaning up London’s air, making our roads better and safer, reducing congestion and supporting more people to walk and cycle.

“The mayor and TfL are deploying a range of tools to improve the safety and quality of London’s roads, while also cleaning up our air and encouraging active travel. They are also working in partnership with London’s boroughs to ensure we create streets that reflect the needs of local communities as we continue building a safer, greener London for everyone.”

Helen Cansick, TfL’s head of healthy streets investment, added: “London outpaces the rest of the country in terms of progress in reducing people being killed or seriously injured on the roads, and that is down to the strong partnerships TfL has with our London borough colleagues investing to make our roads safer.

“Our local implementation plan funding guidance uses evidence to ensure that the boroughs spend their allocated funding improving road safety and investing in schemes that have the greatest impact to the transport priorities that matter most to Londoners.

“London’s road network plays a vital role in millions of Londoners’ journeys each day and we’re committed to ensuring its success. We work hard to keep our road network safe and reliable, carrying out regular inspections, resurfacing and upgrades throughout the year.

“We remain fully committed to working with London’s boroughs and the government to ensure London’s roads have the funding and maintenance needed for safe and efficient travel.”

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