Boris names London's first low carbon zones

London's mayor Boris Johnson today unveiled the capital's first 10 "low carbon zones", pledging to provide each of the new zones with more than £200,000 to fund carbon-cutting schemes ranging from installing solar panels and smart meters to introducing "energy doctors" to help households reduce energy use.

Speaking at a meeting of the capital's 33 boroughs today, Johnson announced that Barking Town Centre, Muswell Hill, Archway, Brixton, Lewisham Town Centre, Wandle Valley, Ham and Petersham, Peckham, Hackbridge and Queen's Park had won the competition to be designated as "low carbon zones".

The new zones have signed up to a goal of cutting emissions by 20.12 per cent by 2012 and have each submitted plans that should deliver a reduction in emissions of over 23 per cent over the next three years.

The Mayor's Office said that combined the zones cover 13,000 residential properties, around 1,000 shops and businesses, and 20 schools, as well as a hospital, places of worship and community centres.

Each of the zones are taking a slightly different approach to curbing emissions in an attempt to showcase a range of technologies and initiatives that could be rolled out more widely.

For example, Queens Park and Barking are to install electric car recharging points, while Muswell Hill will work with a local retailer to install a large-scale solar array on a store roof, and Archway, Wandle Valley and Peckham will all focus on improving energy efficiency advice to residents.

"There was a high calibre of bids from across the boroughs and it was a difficult choice," said Johnson. "But the winning entries are championing the latest technologies, which will help us to become a leading low carbon city."

The low carbon zone funding is being provided by the London Development Agency and is the latest in a series of green initiatives unveiled by the Mayor's Office, including recent proposals to switch to energy efficient traffic lights and long-running plans for a city-wide bike hire scheme. A new London-wide energy efficiency programme is also expected to be launched next year as Johnson seeks to make good on his pledge to cut emissions in the capital by 60 per cent by 2025.