Generic filters
Exact matches only
Sign Up to Our Newsletter

Archives: News Articles

CRP & Better Bankside – Southwark Climate Collective 25-26

9th June 2025 / Posted by Katherine Fairfax

CRP are delighted to be supporting our partner Better Bankside to deliver the Southwark Climate Collective 2025-2026 programme.  

The Southwark Climate Collective (SCC) was launched in 2023 to provide targeted sustainability and de-carbonisation support to Southwark SMEs. The SCC programme has equipped more than 140 Southwark SMEs with the tools, skills and technical support to cut their emissions.  

Better Bankside recently secured additional funding from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) to continue the SCC into 2025-26 and build on the success of the programme through bespoke decarbonisation training and targeted business support.  

CRP Project Manager Katherine Fairfax will be providing expert project management support to Better Bankside over the summer, to help get the SCC 25-26 programme up and running and continue to deliver tailored decarbonisation support for Southwark SMEs. 

Could your organisation benefit from project management support? Get in touch with CRP’s Senior Programme Manager Fiona Coull to find out more.   

CRP Launch Care For Air Campaign

9th June 2025 / Posted by CRP Team

We’re thrilled to announce the launch of CRP’s Care For Air Campaign, delivered as part of our Mayor of London funded Healthy Streets Everyday II programme! 

CRP’s Care For Air Campaign is now live and running right through to Global Action Plan’s Clean Air Day happening on Thursday 19th June! 

This campaign emphasises the link between transport, air quality and health, and advises on simple, smart actions people can achieve to help to reduce road transport emissions.    

Air pollution is now recognised as the single biggest environmental threat to human health according to World Health Organisation, which is why it’s so important to get informed and #CareForAir.  

So follow our LinkedIn channels, and look our for our 5 simple actions you can take to improve your local air quality and contribute to cleaner air for everyone!  

Bankside Pier & Battersea Power Station Pier Information Sheets Now Published!

9th June 2025 / Posted by Fiona Coull

CRP is excited to announce the publication of 2 Pier Information Sheets as part of our Defra funded Smarter Greener Logistics Programme – one for Bankside Pier, and the other for Battersea Power Station Pier! 

The information sheets will support operators / businesses to consider river freight operations to Bankside Pier & Battersea Power Station Pier by providing information on: 

  • Landside Access 
  • Vessel considerations 
  • Potential Consolidation Opportunities 
  • Last Mile Route Planning 
  • Local low emission couriers 
  • Local Logistics Hubs 
  • Wider Stakeholders 
  • Next Steps 

They support our work with the Port of London Authority to promote the use of The Thames for freight, and are part of a wider suite of Central London Pier Information Sheets, aimed at offering a more sustainable option than delivering by road. 

Keep an eye out as the next 3 will be published soon! 

For further information, please contact CRP Senior Programme Manager, Fiona Coull. 

Trial to Pedestrianise Camden High Street Launches

19th May 2025 / Posted by Sefinat Otaru

On May 3rd, London Borough of Camden began an 18-month trial to make part of Camden High Street open only to pedestrians. The trial pedestrianisation aims to create safer and healthier public places for residents, businesses, and visitors, as well as create the opportunity to expand cultural activities into the street, bringing together Camden’s diverse communities. 

This means cars will not be allowed from Camden Town Underground Station to the intersection with Jamestown Road and Hawley Crescent, which is less than 215 meters away. Traffic has been redirected along Kentish Town Road. 

Simon Pitkeathley, Lord Pitkeathley of Camden Town and CEO of Camden Town Unlimited and Euston Town BIDs (and (CRP Board Co-Chair!), highlighted the benefits of this project. He said, “By creating a more walkable and welcoming area, pedestrianisation will make the customer experience better, increase foot traffic, and lead to a lively high street.” He also mentioned that this trial is important not only for improving the experience in Camden Town but also for enhancing air quality, public safety, making the neighbourhood more sustainable. 

Last November, CRP’s European partners from the Horizon EU-funded Just Streets programme came to London to see our proposed changes. They looked at the planned street closure and the complementary scheme that we will implement with the BID. The scheme aims to encourage more walking and cycling in the area by creating a “Heritage Walk,” a trail that will educate people about the area’s rich culture and history.  

We expect to launch the Walk this summer, enhancing the benefits of pedestrianisation scheme.  Our goal is to create a healthier, more vibrant, and accessible environment that is welcoming to everyone. 

Engaging with Natural England: Revisiting Greening The BIDs

19th May 2025 / Posted by Katie Smith

This month, Cross River Partnership (CRP) had the opportunity to present at Natural England’s Green Infrastructure Specialist Network meeting. 

During the presentation, CRP explored the significant role that green infrastructure can play in improving roadside air quality, drawing on evidence and practical examples to demonstrate its impact. 

As part of the session, CRP revisited initiatives from its award-winning Greening the BIDs programme, showcasing how these early initiatives have been sustained over time. The Greening to BID’s programme was delivered from 2012-2018 and brought together London Business Improvement Districts to deliver 19 Green Infrastructure (GI) Audits and 16 GI installations, including rain gardens, green walls and green roofs, across central London. 

It was inspiring to see the continued commitment to maintaining and enhancing these green infrastructure installations, reflecting long-term environmental stewardship across the participating Business Improvement Districts. 

CRP Annual Report and Business Plan 2024 -26

19th May 2025 / Posted by Katherine Fairfax

We are delighted to publish CRP’s Annual Report and Business Plan 2024-26 which showcases key achievements from the past year.  

Highlights include the successful completion of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs-funded Smarter Greener Logistics Programme, the exciting launch of Mayor of London funded Healthy Streets Everyday II and CRP’s continued involvement in the Horizon Europe-funded Just Streets programme. 

A huge thank you to all of CRP’s Partners for your commitment to delivering innovative and collaborative projects with us and a special thank you to CRP’s accountable body Westminster City Council.  

By working collaboratively across sectors, CRP continues to support bold action on emissions reduction, promote active travel, and enable sustainable logistics – all while helping shape a fairer, greener & safer London.  

Read more about CRP’s 30th year in our Annual Report and Business Plan 2024-2026 here! 

Waterloo Freight Hub: Raising Awareness and Driving Engagement

19th May 2025 / Posted by Ross Phillips

CRP are really pleased to have seen lots of coverage of the Waterloo Freight Hub, showcasing the exciting and transformative nature of the Defra-funded 6-month trial, delivering parcels across London using zero-emission cargo bikes!

This initiative, located under Waterloo Station, will help businesses and residents receive sustainable deliveries at no extra cost while reducing pollution and congestion. 

CRP is grateful to have been featured in CiTTi Magazine, showcasing the benefits for partners Delivery Mates and Network Rail about the exciting project. The article also discusses how Waterloo could become a key hub for rail, road, and river deliveries, shaping the future of clean logistics. You can read the feature here.

CRP was also grateful to join the ForuMM webinar, hosted by Innovate UK and Connected Places Catapult, on Connected Journeys: Integrating Micromobility for Smarter, Greener Transport, on Tuesday 13th May. This discussed ways that freight and transport can be integrated successfully with micromobility at the heart of new ways of moving people and goods around the city. 

We’ve also got site visits lined up in May and June to show interested stakeholders the Waterloo Freight Hub space, and demonstrate the long-term potential of the project.  

Stay tuned for updates as we track the impact of this exciting project!

For more information on the Waterloo Project programme, please contact CRP’s Sustainable Transport Manager, Ross Phillips.

Transforming Hercules Road

19th May 2025 / Posted by CRP Team

As part of Cross River Partnership’s Healthy Streets Everyday II programme, WeAreWaterloo has been working with London Borough of Lambeth and the South Bank and Waterloo Neighbours Forum (SoWN) to transform Hercules Road. 

In place of car parking, Hercules Road now sees lush green spaces along with new seating and cycle parking, creating a vibrant public space for residents, visitors and workers alike. 

The newly introduced greenery plays a crucial role in improving the area’s climate resilience. Planted areas will help absorb rainwater, reducing the risk of surface flooding while also improving biodiversity. During the summer months, the added tree cover will provide shade and help counteract increasingly warm temperatures. 

The shift away from car-centric street design and the introduction of more green infrastructure contribute to improved air quality. Trees and plants naturally filter pollutants from the air, while promoting walking and cycling helps reduce traffic emissions. 

This transformation is a milestone within the broader South Bank and Waterloo Net Zero 2030 Strategy - a collaborative effort by the South Bank and Waterloo Sustains Us partnership to improve local air quality and environmental sustainability. 

Hercules Road was partially funded through CRP’s Healthy Streets Everyday II, a Mayor of London Air Quality Funded 3-year programme that will address the issue of over-dependence on private vehicles, and the associated issues of poor Air Quality, Environment, Safety, Health, and Wellbeing.     

For more information on the HSE II programme, please contact CRP Project Lead, Ross Phillips.

The London Walking Festival: Get Involved

19th May 2025 / Posted by CRP Team

The London Walking Festival is a month-long celebration of walking and wheeling in London, hosted by London National Park City and in collaboration with Go Jauntly and Footways.   

Running from the 1st to the 31st of May, the London Walking Festival isn’t just about walking, it’s about experiencing the city in a new light!  

Whether you’re looking to reconnect with nature , learn something new about your community ️or simply enjoy some fresh air, the festival is a perfect opportunity to get moving in ways that feel good. 

Also! There are a few events happening during the London Walking Festival such as: 

Explore the official festival page here to view the full programme and secure a space on upcoming walks: London Walking Festival London National Park City  

£1.5m landmark social investment pilot to boost Black and Global Majority-led social enterprises

19th May 2025 / Posted by Susannah Wilks

Trust for London, City Bridge Foundation and Esmée Fairbairn Foundation have created a six-year social investment pilot to support Black and global majority-led community enterprises. 

The new ‘Beyond Barriers’ facility comprises a powerful blend of patient, flexible catalytic capital and skills support. 

It’s built around knowledge sharing and skills transfer from Sumerian Foundation, a pioneering impact-first investor, to BUD Leaders – a Black-led, female-led organisation based in South London. 

BUD Leaders will receive tailored support to build capacity as a future social investor, developing the team’s ability to identify, support and fund minority-led social enterprises. 

Beyond Barriers responds to the findings of the Adebowale Commission on Social Investment, which called for “comprehensive structural reform” to the social investment market. 

It also aims to fill a gap in the social investment market for unrestricted grant funding, identified in 2023 research by ClearView Research — a Black-led agency — drawing on feedback from social enterprises supported by Sumerian Foundation. 

Find out more here.  Watch this space for updates on how the pilot progresses. 

©2026 Cross River Partnership London Web Design Red Giant