Borough could become 'mini-Holland'
The chances of Ealing becoming a 'mini-Holland' are a step closer as the borough's been shortlisted to receive a share of the London Mayor's £100 million pot to produce exceptional cycling conditions.
Ealing is one of six boroughs to be shortlisted. The others are Bexley, Enfield, Kingston, Merton, and Newham. A further two boroughs, Richmond and Waltham Forest, have been told that they will also be shortlisted if they agree to address certain gaps in their proposals.
The announcement follows a bid by the borough that was presented by Council Leader, Julian Bell and Cabinet Member for Transport and Environment, Cllr Bassam Mahfouz, who are both keen cyclists, and by members of the Ealing Cycle Campaign group.
Speaking in response to the announcement, Cllr Bell said; “It is excellent news that Ealing’s bid for this massive fund is considered one of the leading contenders. We will now put every effort into sprinting to the finishing line of this competition to secure the prize of dramatic improvements to cycling in the borough.”
Cllr Mahfouz added; “The Council has a track record of securing funding for initiatives such as the cycle hub at Haven Green which has proved extremely popular. Our new bid will focus on improvements to Ealing Broadway and making cycling safer in Ealing.”
Ealing is one of six boroughs to be shortlisted. The others are Bexley, Enfield, Kingston, Merton, and Newham. A further two boroughs, Richmond and Waltham Forest, have been told that they will also be shortlisted if they agree to address certain gaps in their proposals.
During September the Mayor’s cycling 'czar', Andrew Gilligan, and TfL officials will visit all the short-listed boroughs for discussions about their bids. The final stage of the selection process is expected to end early in 2014. The exact number of boroughs to win funding, and the amounts awarded, are not fixed.
2nd September 2013