Air quality improvement projects in London receive funding

Five business groups across London will receive a share of £170,000 for projects that will reduce traffic, ease congestion and improve air quality.

The funding from TfL’s Healthy Streets Fund for Business will be matched by the business groups themselves. 

TfL will work closely with all successful applicants and share lessons learned with businesses across the capital to help support further business-driven change.

The five new schemes being joint funded by TfL will include schemes to enable cycle freight, enable people to cycle to work and reduce freight vehicle movements on the roads.

In Aldgate, investment will help the historic Petticoat Lane Market become greener and more efficient. Waste generated by the market will be taken to new compactor machines at a single collection point, reducing the number of waste freight movements and keeping the local area clean and tidy.

In Bermondsey, a scheme will enable more cycling at the Blue Marketplace by providing cargo bikes, storage spaces and other facilities to allow people to cycle to work. This will also allow traders to move more goods by bike.

In Hammersmith, a new freight hub will enable businesses to receive and sort more deliveries at the single location. This will reduce the number of freight vehicles needed to service the area, particularly at peak times.

In the Hatton Garden jewellery area, investment will reduce the number of freight vehicle movements by installing a waste consolidation centre and appointing a preferred supplier for collection.
    
In Streatham, a shared cargo bike scheme will enable small and medium sized independent businesses to replace cars and vans with cycle freight. The bike will be available to businesses in the area to use free of charge by using a booking app.

As outlined in his Transport Strategy, the Mayor wants to work with the boroughs, businesses and the freight and servicing industry to reduce the adverse impacts of freight and service vehicles on the street network. The Mayor aims to reduce the number of lorries and vans entering central London in the morning peak by 10 per cent by 2026. The Mayor and TfL are also aiming for 80 per cent of journeys in London to be made by walking, cycling and public transport by 2041.

The schemes will help businesses adapt to the Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) by enabling them to switch to cleaner alternatives and reducing their use of vans, lorries and other motor vehicles.