The Mayor of London, Transport for London (TfL) and London Councils have announced £766,000 funding for three local boroughs to improve air quality.

The 'Neighbourhoods of the Future' projects include a new school low emission zone in Camden, electric charging points in Hackney, and a zero emission street and wider Low Emission Zone near Hammersmith town centre.

Camden, Hackney, Hammersmith and 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 and Fulham, a joint bid from Croydon and Sutton, and one each from Harrow, Haringey and Heathrow.

The £766,000 funding will be matched with around £875,000 from the London boroughs involved.

The winning Neighbourhoods of the Future bids are:

  • Camden - 23 schools will benefit from a School Low Emission Neighbourhood in the Frognal and Fitzjohns area. The proposal will see streets in the vicinity of the schools 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 - new charging points on three market streets in the borough will be built into existing features such as bollards and posts (£270,000 overall funding).
  • Hammersmith and Fulham - a Hammersmith Town Centre Low Emission Zone. A 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 include 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.

Neighbourhoods of the Future form part of London’s £13 million Go Ultra Low Cities scheme, the Government-funded drive to encourage the switch to electric cars and vans.

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.”

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