Annual Reports

ACEArts Council England has recently published its Annual Review for 2008, which looks back and reports on their activities & achievements from Spring 2007 to 2008.  Grants for the arts, their open access funding programme, celebrated its fifth year in April 2008 and made over 2,800 grants totalling nearly £57m using a simplified application process.
 
Their investment strategy process brought in over 80 new regularly funded organisations, gave over 750 an above-inflation increase, while 185 had their funding withdrawn, thus raising a number of issues, as highlighted in the media.
Press release ~ Annual Review for 2008 ~ Grants for the arts ~ Arts debate
 
TfL: More than five years after the Congestion Charge was launched and over a year after the western extension began, traffic in central London remains 21% lower than pre-charge levels and traffic entering the western extension has fallen by 14%.  However, Transport for London’s (TfL’s) Sixth Annual Impacts Monitoring Report also reveals that decreasing levels of road space in both the original and western zones has caused congestion to return to levels experienced before the charge was introduced.

A widespread programme of water and gas main replacement works has greatly reduced the road capacity in both zones. For example, work at the Scotch House Corner junction in Knightsbridge has reduced road capacity at this key junction by up to half and had a negative impact on traffic in the area.

Boris Johnson has asked TfL to accelerate the delivery of his plans to improve traffic flow including:
* the re-phasing of traffic signals
* the use of steel plating to cover excavations when work is not in progress
* allowing motorbikes to ride in bus lanes (first lanes to open later this year) and
* the development of plans for the introduction of a Paris-style bike hire scheme
Press release ~ The Sixth Annual Impacts Monitoring report ~ Congestion Charge ~ TfL Congestion Charging – penalties and enforcement ~ See the traffic at locations across London ~ Walkit.com ~ Legible London
 
RFA:  The Renewable Fuels Agency (RFA) has published its first monthly report on the supply of biofuels under the Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation (RTFO), covering the period 15 April - 14 May 2008. Biofuels accounted for 2.14% of UK road fuel against a target for the year of 2.5 %.  
 
Greenhouse gas savings of 42% were achieved, but this figure excludes the emissions from indirect changes in land-use considered in the recent 'Gallagher Review'.  The Agency has recommended that indirect effects are included in future sustainability reporting and is working with the Government to identify a way to do this.
Press release ~ Renewable Fuels Agency (RFA) ~ RFA Monthly Report April May 2008 ~ RFA publication schedule 2008-2009 ~ DfT: Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation (RTFO) ~ Gallagher Review
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