Agenda item

The Leader of the Council introduced a report on the Council’s draft third Local Implementation Plan (LIP3) submission to Transport for London (TfL) in respect of the Council’s long-term, overarching objectives for improving the transport network and services in the Borough.

It was noted that the Council’s first and second LIPs helped to deliver an extensive programme of transport and public realm improvements and meet a range of environmental and safety targets.  Through its LIP3 submission, the Council aimed to build on that by implementing a number of measures and interventions that would help connect people and places, promote healthy and sustainable travel, improve safety and security and create better streets and places, all of which were key pledges in the Borough Manifesto.

The Leader referred to some of the specific projects that would be funded from the expected £4.5m allocation from TfL for the next three years, aimed at developing a more joined-up, sustainable transport network in the Borough.  The LIP3 also included details of other significant infrastructure schemes that the Council would want to see progressed in order to achieve its key aims and those within the Mayor of London’s Transport Strategy objectives, such as the tunnelling of a 1.3km stretch of the A13 to improve traffic flows and air quality around the Barking Riverside and surrounding areas.

The Leader advised that improvements to the Council’s cycle network had recently been discussed with the Deputy Mayor for London and officers had been asked to look into the practicalities of the central grassed areas in a number of the Borough’s roads being opened up for use by cyclists.  The Cabinet Member for Public Realm also referred to his involvement on London Councils’ Transport and Environment Committee and his wish for the London cycle hire scheme to be extended to the Borough.

The Cabinet resolved to:

(i)  Approve the draft LIP3, as set out at Appendix 1 to the report, for submission to TfL and for officers to undertake a five-week period of public consultation on the draft plan;

(ii)  Approve the Annual Spending Submission (ASS) for 2019/20, as set out at Appendix 2 to the report, for submission to TfL; and

(iii)  Agree that further work be undertaken to determine the priority of, and to establish, a lobbying / funding strategy for the major transport schemes listed in the draft LIP3.