TFL to get more poweres over roads

GREATER POWERS will be given to Transport for London to enforce road alterations after legislation finally cleared parliament.

TfL and London borough councils will also be able to ensure builders' skips are properly lit and make developers pay for any damage they cause to roads or footpaths.

But the changes, contained in the London Local Authorities and Transport for London (No.2) Bill, have taken exactly six years to pass through parliament.

Under the legislation, London borough councils and TfL will also be able to demand the organisers of large-scale public events, such as football matches or concerts, pay for redirecting traffic and additional street cleaning if needed.

It will also introduce harsher penalties for cyclists who endanger pedestrians by riding on footpaths.

During the Bill's long passage through parliament, there were a number of objections from MPs.

Most recently, Tory backbencher Christopher Chope (Christchurch) claimed it is wrong that town halls could not be held accountable if anyone was electrocuted by an electric car charging point.

The Bill, by exempting councils from damages claims, gives them an unfair commercial advantage over private companies which provide the same electric charging points, he said.

By Theo Usherwood, Press Association