What Do We Do?
Better Transport
Working with our partners, we endeavour to improve public perception and access to Kingston town centre, enabling customers and staff to reach their destinations more easily.
To plan your route to Kingston, click here or visit the Transport for London journey planner here.
Since the start of the BID in January 2005 there has been a 40% increase in public bus usage, with a further 30% capacity increase planned. 2 new car parks have been built and 22,000 more passengers use the Christmas Park & Ride scheme each year.
Over the next BID, we will:
- Continue to fund the Christmas Park & Ride scheme
- Support and promote the extension of the Park & Ride scheme
- Support and promote major transport improvements
- Promote and provide pump prime funding to support key projects
- Support the promotion of staff travel solutions
Projects
Castle Street Pedestrianisation
The project to upgrade the main pedestrian route from the train station into the town centre had been discussed for many years, and had already been cancelled twice. Transport for London (TfL) wanted to remove the project from their budget entirely.
- Kingstonfirst provided £40k of private sector pump prime funding, which kept the project live at TfL and resulted in over £700k of public sector funding.
- Castle Street has changed beyond recognition to a vibrant café filled pedestrian street.
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| Before | After |
"Get you home safely" campaign
- Kingstonfirst worked with partners to ensure that the 2.1million people a year using Kingston's night-time economy could travel home safely and quickly.
- Businesses shared their membership postcodes with London Buses - this resulted in an increase in night bus provision- 10 routes now run through the night.
- Three marshalled minicab booking kiosks have been established, allowing customers a safe, reliable mode of transport home.
- A marshalled black cab rank was established- which has fast become one of the busiest in London.
- A 'Safer Travel at Night' map has been produced, showing all of the available transport options.
