Labour London Assembly Member Murad Qureshi AM today raised serious concerns about the progress of Mayor Boris Johnson’s ‘Better Junctions’ programme after requests for an update on the project’s progress were refused.

The Better Junctions programme was established to assess 500 of the worst junctions in the capital but was later ‘refocused’ by the Mayor to only tackle 33 of the worst performing junctions and gyratories across London, including Marble Arch, Great Portland Street, Lancaster Gate gyratory and Westminster Bridge Road, all key danger hotspot in Westminster.

Last month Val Shawcross asked the Mayor when he expected the work on each of the 33 dangerous junctions to be completed. Mayor’s recent evasive response that “this information will be released within the coming months” has prompted fears that after the programme could be scaled back further.

Labour London wide Assembly Member Murad Qureshi AM, said:

“London’s cyclists and road users will be deeply concerned that more than two years on from the Mayor promising to review these danger hot points very little seems to have been done.

“Despite originally promising to review the five hundred most dangerous junctions the Mayor has scaled this back to only thirty-three leaving out some notorious danger hotspots like the Earls Court gyratory.  Also, he can’t, or won’t, even say what, if any, progress has been made on those earmarked in Westminster. It is staggering that Boris Johnson has adopted such a secretive, snail-pace approach to this problem; especially given the number of cyclists killed and injured which prompted this review. As we head into winter and road conditions become more dangerous for cyclists people will want to know what is taking the Mayor so long.”

ENDS

Notes

• Val Shawcross’ question on the Better Junctions programme and the Mayor’s response is below:

Dangerous Junctions

Question No: 2014/2549

Valerie Shawcross

When do you expect the work on each of the 33 dangerous junctions scheduled for works under the ‘Better Junctions’ Programme  and TfL Cycling Action Plan to be completed?  Please list the junctions, give dates on which the work commenced, or is expected to,  and the dates of expected completion  for each project.

Written response from the Mayor

This information will be released within the coming months.

–          Murad Qureshi AM is a Labour London wide Assembly Member.

–          Despite pledging to review 500 junctions the Mayor only published a list of 100 junctions to receive work, this list is available here the Mayor then ‘refocused’ the list down to just 33 junctions, details of these are available here.