News from Tony Arbour: “Richmond’s town centres should be first in line for Mayor’s £50m outer London fund”

Tony Arbour AM asked Boris Johnson to make sure town centres in Richmond and south west London are first in line for his £50m outer London regeneration fund at City Hall today.

Speaking at Mayor’s Question Time in City Hall, Mr Arbour made the case for places like Twickenham, which would benefit most from investment to improve local shopping areas and help people get to them more easily.

In response, Boris Johnson confirmed that town centre in outer London boroughs, such as Richmond, that will benefit less directly from Crossrail and the 2012 Games will be prioritised and the first round of projects should be started this summer.

Commenting, Richmond’s London Assembly Member, Mr Arbour said: “It’s great the Mayor is investing £50m in new jobs, growth and regeneration in outer London boroughs, and south west London boroughs should be first in the line for funding.

“The money should be specifically targeted at areas that would benefit most from some ‘TLC’, like Twickenham, in Richmond.

“If money were used to improve shops and high streets, as well as transport access to town centres, they would attract more people, thereby creating new jobs and regeneration.”

ENDS

Notes to the editors:

In March, the Mayor announced that he had established a £50m fund to help create new jobs, opportunities in regeneration in outer London town centres.

The fund is specifically targeted at the boroughs that benefit less directly from Crossrail and the 2012 Games. Richmond-upon-Thames is judged by independent studies to be the area that receives sixth-least benefit (out of 33 boroughs) from Crossrail.

The outer London boroughs that are judged to benefit the least from Crossrail are Sutton, Kingston, Harrow, Hounslow, Merton, Richmond, Croydon, Barking & Dagenham, Enfield, Havering, Bromley, Hillingdon & Waltham Forest.