Great news! Bromley has just won Liveable Neighbourhoods funding to make the borough better for walking, cycling & living!

Transport for London has agreed to provide up to £10 million to improve travel connections for pedestrians and cyclists to and past Shortlands station from the surrounding area, with the council able to top that up.

What is the Liveable Neighbourhoods programme?

Bromley is one of 11 boroughs to have won a share in the second round of TfL’s Liveable Neighbourhoods funding that is intended to support area-based walking and cycling projects. In the run-up to Sadiq Khan’s election as mayor, the London Cycling Campaign got him to “Sign for Cycling” and pledge to make available funding for such programmes – so these Liveable Neighbourhoods are partly down to LCC campaigning and the hard work of members.

Well done to Bromley Council – this is an important first step down the road to active travel! And well done to Bromley Cyclists for its constant advocacy, and particularly our inviting Will Norman, the London mayor’s cycling and walking commissioner, for a ride in the borough last year, and our public meeting in July 2018 on the Liveable Neighbourhoods scheme.

The official name of Bromley’s scheme is the Shortlands, Ravensbourne and Bromley Better Villages project. It covers much of Shortlands and Bromley town wards and is supported by the ward councillors.

What exactly will be happening at Shortlands?

The council says the scheme will improve travel connections for pedestrians and cyclists to and past Shortlands station from the surrounding area, with new protected cycle lanes on Bromley Road and Valley Road and new pedestrian crossings across the busy A222. Pupils will find it easier to get to school without cars, and traffic will have much less impact on residential streets. New public spaces and pocket parks will be created throughout the area, and a cycle hub will be built at Shortlands station.

New public spaces and pocket parks will be created throughout the area, and a cycle hub will be built at Shortlands station

So what happens next?

At the moment, the plans are very general. The council says that engagement and consultation will follow with local people and other stakeholders over the coming months about the proposals.

The design study will last about nine months, after which the scheme will go out to consultation. We hope this will help avoid the backlash that occurred over the Crofton Road cycle/pedestrian route.

The council is free to put in further bids for Liveable Neighbourhoods cash, but we need local ward councillors to show leadership, as happened with Bromley and Shortlands in the current scheme. So if you think your area would benefit from changes to back cycling and walking talk to your councillors.