Greenwich seek feedback on future transport strategy
Greenwich Council have embarked on a new consultation looking at future transport in the borough.
A new Transport Strategy is being drawn up after a number of controversial issues in recent years, including Low Traffic Neighbourhoods and failing to allocate income from new developments for pedestrian improvements to local stations and shops across the borough.
Funding
A key issue is whether a new strategy ever translates into action and funding, and if so where from.
Greenwich have traditionally relied on Transport for London to fund many projects. TfL are now of course in financial dire straits.
When TfL did allocate annual finds via a pot known at the Local Implementation Plan, Greenwich were bottom of all London Labour Councils for topping up via Section 106 and Community Infrastructure Levy funds. They were behind most Conservative councils too, and even behind Bromley.
Unlike other boroughs who have invested heavily from new developments, Greenwich have tended to ignore their own previous strategies in a wide range of areas when it came to allocating their own income.
Southwark for example used £1 million from Section 106 for cycle hire expansion in 2022.
Plumstead offers a stark example of failing new and existing residents, with two major developments ignoring the chance to improve links to nearby bus routes, Plumstead station and Plumstead High Street’s shops and amenities.
In the process the authority ignored various documents such as the Plumstead Framework, an active living plan and a carbon reduction plan.
They also ignored TfL themselves during consultation when they suggested improved links, which the council batted away.
So will another strategy actually change much? Devoid of funding it can’t hope to improve matters substantially.
CIL income changes should permit more funding from 2023, yet we will have to wait to see whether the authority change course. After all, even with Section 106 from new builds all across the borough it’s been rarely utilised for better transport.
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It seems that Council members are not concerned with how their decisions affect the residents of the Burrough, but with how they can line their own pockets after their voted out office; viv a vis the latest disclosure with regards to Mr. Brain’s new position with the Developer of Morden Wharf, and the Council’s intransigence in stopping future Councillors from doing the same! Would not a by-law prohibiting Ex-Councillors from engaging in Business that directly corresponds with the position that was held during their time on the Council?
I live in Plumstead and the way Murky Depths covers the lack of investment in Plumstead is invaluable. I wonder if anyone from the Council reads your posts?