The New and Old Malden Neighbourhood Committee met to discuss community grants, a speed reduction programme, and the proposed Local Implementation Plan (LIP) programme. The committee approved a Neighbourhood Community Grant of £3,000 for Voices of Hope and a reduced grant of £1,496 for the New Malden Town Centre Partnership, with an additional £700 to be sourced from Councillor Ward Funding. The committee also approved the recommendations for the proposed LIP programme, delegating adjustments and prioritisation to the Director Highways, Transport and Regulatory Services in consultation with the relevant Portfolio Holder, should funding levels be reduced by Transport for London (TfL).

Proposed Local Implementation Plan (LIP) Programme

The committee approved recommendations for the proposed Local Implementation Plan (LIP) programme for 2026/27, which will now be considered by the Place Committee. The LIP programme outlines transport schemes for which the council is bidding for funding from TfL. Should funding levels be reduced by TfL, any adjustments and prioritisation required to the proposed schemes will be delegated to the Director Highways, Transport and Regulatory Services, in consultation with the relevant Portfolio Holder.

The schemes are designed to improve the borough's transport network and encourage a shift towards more sustainable and safer transport, contributing to the borough's zero carbon ambitions.

Key points of the proposed LIP programme include:

• TfL Funding: TfL has indicated a total allocation of £859,000 for Kingston's core LIP schemes, specifically for Safer Corridors & Neighbourhoods. Funding for discretionary items like Cycleway Network Development and Bus Priority is still under discussion between the boroughs and TfL, dependent on the final settlement between the Department for Transport (DfT) and TfL.
• Borough Safer Streets Funding: TfL has approved £100,000 of Safer Streets funding for the Fountain Roundabout in New Malden, to support further development of the modelling and to undertake necessary engagement. The council will bid for a further £100,000 to continue to develop this scheme for detailed design and final approval.
• Better Bus Partnerships (BBP): A tri-borough bid involving Richmond, Sutton, and Kingston councils has been submitted, seeking up to £10 million from TfL. The bid focuses on enhancing bus operations within these town centres and along the strategic bus corridor that connects the boroughs, supporting the Kingston Town Centre Vision, Sutton Town Centre Masterplan, and Richmond Town Centre Strategy. The outcome of the bid is expected in October 2025.
• Healthy Streets Approach: The Healthy Streets Approach¹ remains a central part of scheme development, using 10 indicators that focus on the experience of people using streets.

The proposed schemes for the New and Old Malden Neighbourhood include:

• Old Malden Area: A review to improve the healthy streets score and cycling/walking connectivity/routes to schools.
• Fountain Roundabout and New Malden High Street: Identifying options for roundabout reconfiguration to address pedestrian and bus user access issues and road safety for all vulnerable road users including cyclists.

Prioritised Intervention - Speed Reduction in the Neighbourhood

The committee noted the 20mph speed limit programme and reduced speeds, as well as the installation of Speed Indicator Devices (SIDs) in specified locations.

The council has been progressively implementing 20mph speed limits across its road network, aligning with a national movement to reduce speed limits in urban and residential areas.

Key findings from the analysis of speed data include:

• Speed Reduction: Average speeds have fallen across all 40 roads surveyed since the implementation of the 20mph borough-wide speed limit.
• Compliance: Only 22.5% of the roads surveyed are compliant with the new 20mph speed limit. 65% of roads recorded average speeds of between 20 and 24mph. Five roads (12.5% of the total reviewed) had an average speed of 24mph or higher.
• Collision Reduction: Overall, the number of collisions has fallen by approximately 18% since the introduction of the 20mph speed limit.
• Air Quality Improvement: Air quality has improved at all locations where data is collected. However, it is difficult to be conclusive as to any impact due to other external factors changing such as ULEZ expansion.

Within the New and Old Malden Neighbourhood, the following roads will have SIDs installed:

• Blakes Avenue
• Church Road, Old Malden
• Kenley Road
• Motspur Park
• Thetford Road
• Traps Lane

Church Road in Old Malden recorded a speed over 24mph (25.9mph). Additional measures are being considered for this location, including the implementation of traffic calming measures between St John the Baptist Church, Old Malden and the entrance to Six Acre Meadow. The improvements would also aim to improve access to The Leyfield Nature Reserve.

Community Grants

The committee approved a Neighbourhood Community Grant of £3,000 for Voices of Hope (VoH) and a reduced grant of £1,496 for the New Malden Town Centre Partnership (NMTCP), with an additional £700 to be sourced from Councillor Ward Funding.

Voices of Hope (VoH) BRITE Box Project

Voices of Hope (VoH), a Kingston based not for profit charity, have been granted £3,000 of Neighbourhood Community Grant funding to continue their BRITE Box project offer in New & Old Malden during the 2025/26 school year.

The BRITE Box project provides weekly meal kits with ingredients and a recipe guide to families identified by local authorities and schools as being at risk of food insecurity. The project aims to provide practical resources for families to cook healthy meals from scratch, build their skills and confidence, and foster an interest in cooking and trying new foods.

The grant will enable VoH to support 9 new families for 36 weeks (324 BRITE boxes in total), working with Malden Manor Primary and Nursery School, Sheephouse Way.

New Malden Town Centre Partnership (NMTCP), Jubilee Square Christmas Party

New Malden Town Centre Partnership (NMTCP), a New Malden based not for profit organisation, requested £3,000 of Neighbourhood Community Grant funding to stage a Christmas Party in Jubilee Square

The NMTCP aims to work with the local community, businesses, and the council to promote the attractiveness and use of the town centre. The Christmas Party in Jubilee Square aims to include as many community groups as possible alongside the community and visitors to New Malden.

The event consists of the Christmas parade (organised by the New Malden Rotary Club), traditional Church Fayre, Santa's grotto, multicultural food stalls, community group and gift stalls, face painting, and a disco.

The committee approved a reduced sum of £1,496 Neighbourhood Community Grant funding to be allocated to the New Malden Town Centre Partnership, with the remaining amount of £700 to be sourced from Councillor Ward Funding offered by Councillor James Giles and Councillor Mark Durrant to meet the updated total of £2,196.