Transport for London imposed a Croydon Council TfL funding freeze after Jason Perry said he had removed protected cycle-lane infrastructure on London Road in Croydon. The suspension followed an Instagram video he posted on 4th May, and Croydon Council has committed to repaying £234,917 before the freeze is lifted.
The funding halt covers £2.067m, or more than £2 million, and it is already slowing Healthy Neighbourhood schemes in the borough. Those delayed projects include new zebra crossings, contra-flow cycle lanes and additional bike parking spaces.
Jason Perry on 4th May
In the video, Perry said: "you told me they were a big issue. They impeded the local roads. They were causing congestion. Buses couldn’t get through, and we even had emergency vehicles being held up when they were on a call." He also said: "Not only that, it also took out parking bays for local trade, which meant that people couldn’t stop and couldn’t shop in our local businesses."
He added: "If you’re a cyclist, they were actually quite dangerous as we weren’t able to get the right mechanical vehicles in to clean those lanes up. They had to go." Perry also said: "I took decisive action to remove those wands […] and we’re now taking them out in the town centre. Your council should be making it easier for you to get around the borough, for you to get to where you want to go, for you to access your local shops."
Transport for London response
Transport for London only learned of the removal through Perry’s Instagram post, according to Croydon’s Local Democracy Reporter. The post alerted the authority to the removal of orca kerbs and wands along London Road, infrastructure it had funded from money granted in 2020/21.
The suspension leaves Croydon Council needing to repay £234,917 before the wider funding can resume. Perry has served as Mayor of Croydon since 2022, and he had previously removed the wands on Brighton Road.
Simon Munk reaction
Simon Munk said: "You cannot expect TfL and Londoners to pay councils to install safety & active travel schemes, then pay to rip them out, or even to pay for rubbish schemes that ignore or actively worsen active travel, road danger reduction, climate emissions reductions. This is a council leadership gone rogue." He also praised action by Will Norman, the Mayor of London and Transport for London.
The dispute leaves the borough’s active travel programme tied to repayment, and the practical question now is how quickly Croydon Council clears the £234,917 that keeps £2.067m frozen.
