Sections 279 and 280: Road safety and traffic reduction
400.Section 279 amends section 39 of the Road Traffic Act 1988 (powers of Secretary of State and local authorities to give road safety information and training) so as -
to confer on TfL a discretionary power to prepare and carry out a programme of road safety measures; and to contribute to the cost of measures taken by other bodies; and
to impose a duty on TfL to carry out studies into accidents on GLA roads involving vehicles and, in the light of those studies, to take measures to prevent such accidents.
401.Section 280 amends the Road Traffic Reduction Act 1997 (not yet in force), which places a duty on boroughs to assess road traffic levels, to set targets for reducing traffic levels or the growth of these levels, and to report to the Secretary of State. Reports prepared by a London borough, under the provisions of the 1997 Act must take account of the Mayor’s transport strategy and the borough’s local implementation plan. The Mayor may give directions or issue guidance to London councils on matters on which the Secretary of State may issue guidance (provided that the guidance or directions do not conflict with the Secretary of State’s guidance). The councils must comply with the Mayor’s directions and have regard to his guidance. When a London borough sends a report to the Secretary of State under the 1997 Act, it must send a copy of the report to the Mayor.