Three London boroughs have been awarded a total of £766,000 to help accelerate the switch to zero emission vehicles to tackle air pollution.

The grants were announced by the Mayor of London, Transport for London (TfL) and London Councils.

The ‘Neighbourhoods of the Future’ projects include a new school low emission zone in Camden to protect pupils from air pollution, electric charging points in streets in Hackney’s markets, and a zero emission street and wider Low Emission Zone near Hammersmith town centre.

Camden, Hackney and Hammersmith & Fulham will receive funding for three new projects, which will build on the six that were awarded last year.

These were a joint bid from Hackney, Tower Hamlets and Islington (City Fringe), one from Hammersmith & Fulham, a joint bid from Croydon and Sutton, and one each from Harrow, Haringey and Heathrow.

The £766,000 funding will be matched with around £875,000 from the London boroughs involved.

The winning Neighbourhoods of the Future bids, which will give local communities the infrastructure they need to embrace less polluting forms of transport, are:

• Camden - 23 schools will benefit from a School Low Emission Neighbourhood in the Frognal and Fitzjohns area. The proposal will see 8,500 pupils at 23 schools benefit from streets in the vicinity being restricted to electric and local access only, electric vehicle charging points in school car parks and points to power up at lamp posts close to home (£720,000 overall funding).
• Hackney - electrified market streets that will help businesses and customers make the transition to cleaner vehicles. New charging points on three market streets in the borough will be built into existing features such as bollards and posts, while remaining sensitive to the look-and-feel of the area. The points will serve some of the most diverse and vibrant streets in London, servicing street traders, commercial vehicles and public buildings (£270,000 overall funding)
• Hammersmith & Fulham - a Hammersmith Town Centre Low Emission Zone.   A trail-blazing local Low Emission Zone that prioritises and encourages the use of the cleanest vehicles. It will build on a proposed zero emission street on Hammersmith Grove. This will be complimented with the installation of an electric taxi rank; a last-mile courier hub; and communication support (£650,000 overall funding).

Neighbourhoods of the Future forms part of London’s £13 million Go Ultra Low Cities scheme, the Government-funded drive to encourage the switch to electric cars and vans.

Alex Williams, TfL’s Director of City Planning, said: “If we are to bring London’s air quality within legal limits it will require us, local authorities and Government to work closely together.

"The Neighbourhoods of the Future are a fantastic example of how partnership working can lead to innovative projects that make a real difference to Londoners’ lives.”