The Transport and Air Quality Committee met to discuss a range of issues, including budget monitoring, pedestrian improvements, cargo bike initiatives, and transport funding. The committee approved schemes for the Local Implementation Plan (LIP) funding submission for 2026/27, pilot projects for pedestrian priority improvements, and the expansion of cargo bike schemes. The committee also noted the underspend in the revenue budget and the latest position on the approved capital programme.

TfL Local Implementation Plan Funding 2026/27

The committee approved the schemes listed in Appendix A of the LIP Funding 2026/27 document as the council’s LIP funding submission for 2026/27. They also agreed to delegate to the Director of Place and Growth the ability to make amendments to schemes and funding values following feedback from Transport for London (TfL).

The council's indicative LIP pre-allocation for 2026/27 includes:

• £1,052,000 for Safer Corridors and Neighbourhoods
• £76,000 for cycle training
• £65,000 for cycle parking
• Up to £75,000 for micromobility (e-bike) parking

The report noted that the overall LIP funding settlement for London boroughs represents an ongoing fall in real terms, which means that the council is not given the necessary resources to wholly deliver against the Mayor of London’s objectives, such as Vision Zero¹.

Pedestrian Priority Pilot Project

The committee agreed to the measures proposed to be implemented through pilot projects to enhance pedestrian amenity and deliver best practice in selected streets, as described in paragraphs 5.13 and 5.14 of the Pedestrian Improvement Pilot document. The committee also noted the methodology proposed to be used to prioritise investment through this programme.

The pilot projects will take place in two locations:

• The Terrace in Mortlake & Barnes Common ward
• Hampton Road on the border between the South Twickenham and West Twickenham wards

Proposed measures for The Terrace include:

• Introducing seating at the northbound bus stop outside Barnes Bridge train station
• Planting new trees and trimming back overgrowth of existing trees
• Supporting the local community in their aspiration to re-introduce Network Rail old-style way-finding murals on Barnes Bridge
• Improving cycle parking provision outside Barnes Bridge train station and introduce two new e-bike and e-scooter parking bays on Terrace Gardens and Elm Bank Gardens subject to consultation
• Removing redundant signage at the roundabout with Barnes High Street and Lonsdale Road
• Addressing concerns about regular ponding under Barnes Bridge by clearing gullies
• Resolving the pinch point in the carriageway created by the last vehicle parking bay outside 3A The Terrace
• Addressing the trip hazards on the ramps from the towpath to the roundabout with Barnes High Street and Lonsdale Road
• Reviewing the optimal lining and markings on the carriageway to support traffic calming and pedestrian and cyclist safety
• Exploring the strengthening of the current 18t weight restrictions on HGVs

Proposed measures for Hampton Road include:

• Trimming back overgrowth of greenery obstructing the footway and signage
• Adding tactile paving at the mouth of Grove Road
• Installing a bus shelter with seating at the Twickenham bound bus stop near Trafalgar Road
• Repaving the full stretch of the footway where possible through a public-private partnership outside The Prince of Wales pub and 190-204 Hampton Road
• Removing the unused phone booth on the northern corner of Fifth Cross Road
• Decluttering the footway outside the shopping parade at 206-230 Hampton Road through removing bollards where redundant and replacing some of them with seating and greenery where still necessary

Review of Cargo Bikes

The committee agreed to a number of recommendations to expand and improve cargo bike initiatives in the borough, as detailed in the Cargo Bikes Paper Nov 25 Final document:

• Expanding the OurBike scheme to include non-standard cycles or mobility scooter bikes
• Agreeing a new Try Before You Bike scheme once the current cap is reached
• Expanding the cargo bike parking bays programme to include town centres, schools, nurseries and other destinations
• Agreeing a Cargo Bike Fair for 2026
• Agreeing improvements for cargo bike users along quiet routes
• Supporting investigations into local commercial delivery/waste consolidation

The Our Bike community cargo bike scheme was launched in May 2022, and Richmond now has the largest cargo bike hire network of this type in London.

Q2 Quarterly Monitoring Report

The committee noted that the current forecast revenue budget position is an underspend of £316,000, and also noted the latest position on the approved capital programme, as detailed in the Q2 Quarterly Monitoring Report.

The main underspend was in parking services, with a forecast underspend of £286,000, which is largely a consequence of the forecast for overall parking income which is expected to be marginal in excess of budget.

The report also noted a variance in Housing Management - CCTV, with an overspend of £65,000, which can be attributed in part to a shortfall in external income from solicitors/insurance companies following a review of the charging structure for CCTV.

Councillor Michael Butlin, Armed Forces Champion requested consideration be given to differential on-street parking charges on event days, noting the cost of on-street parking compares favourably to the cost of parking on local school premises on Twickenham event days.

Committee Work Programme

The committee noted the Committee Work Programme, and it was agreed that the report on the Towpath Strategy would be presented to the committee in December. The description on the Hampton Court Road paper was updated to reflect that no proposal has yet been put out for public consultation.