Croydon Council Invests £17.5m in Highways and Transport Improvements

Croydon Council has approved a £17.5m highways investment programme for the 2026/27 financial year, aiming to resurface roads, improve footways, maintain 62 bridges and reduce flood risk at known hotspots including Foxley Lane and Central Hill, according to the local authority’s Infrastructure Delivery Plan.

The package forms part of a broader push to upgrade transport links as the borough plans for 42,000 new homes by 2039. The Council has secured more than £6.9m from Transport for London and agreed to spend £2.1m from Section 106 funds, totalling £9m, over the next two years to deliver better bus journeys, safer streets, and new pedestrian and cycle routes connecting green spaces, officials said in a statement.

What This Means for Residents

For Croydon residents, the investment is expected to mean fewer potholes and smoother journeys on key roads, as well as safer crossings and dedicated cycle lanes linking parks and residential areas. The flood mitigation work at Foxley Lane and Central Hill should reduce disruption during heavy rain, a frequent complaint from local motorists and pedestrians. The bridge maintenance programme, covering 62 structures across the borough, aims to prevent sudden closures and ensure reliable access for emergency services and bus routes.

Beyond the immediate highways work, the Council is drawing on business rates growth to enable borrowing for infrastructure funding, as outlined in the updated Infrastructure Delivery Plan 2025. This approach is designed to accelerate projects without placing additional strain on council tax payers, though the long-term impact on local finances will depend on future business rate revenues and central government grants.

London-Wide Support for Croydon

The Mayor of London has approved a £1bn regeneration scheme for Croydon, committing £23m to improve key entrances, repair the high street, remove walking barriers and support business attraction. In addition, Croydon will receive £11.951m over ten years from the Department for Transport’s national road resurfacing programme, funded by reallocated HS2 project funds. The Council has said this money will be used to resurface roads identified as in poorest condition, prioritising those on bus routes and near schools.

The combined funding, totalling more than £30m for transport and highways over the next decade, is expected to deliver visible changes to Croydon’s street scene, with new cycle racks, improved crossings and better bus stop accessibility. Residents can expect work to begin on the first phase of road resurfacing and cycle route construction later this year, with completion of the two-year transport programme scheduled for early 2029. The Council will publish a detailed schedule of works on its website, allowing residents to check when their street is due for upgrades.