MAJOR 20MPH SPEED LIMIT CHANGES TO BE UNVEILED AS PART OF SADIQ KHAN'S TRAVEL PLAN
Transport for London is proposing to introduce 65km of new 20mph speed limits across the capital to help reach one of Mayor Sadiq Khan's key aims. Lower speed limits play a critical role in the Vision Zero plan to eliminate deaths and serious injury on the transport network across London.
The new 20mph roads are set to apply to the Royal Borough of Greenwich, Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, Lewisham, Southwark, Wandsworth, Merton, Bromley and Lambeth.
The Mayor has launched a number of speed limiting features in recent years to enable more walking and cycling in the capital.
It is hoped the new speed limits would help to make a large area of south London safer and more attractive for people to live and work.
The overall aim of this, aside from making roads safer, is to encourage more people out of their cars and to walk, cycle and use public transport more often.
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With more people using more sustainable forms of travel, congestion in the capital will be eased, as well as reduced air pollution rates.
The project is part of the TfL's commitment to cut the speed limit by 10mph on a further 140km of the TfL road network by next year.
Subject to approval, work would begin to reduce the speed limits could begin as soon as September 2023.
A person who is hit by a vehicle travelling at 20mph is five times less likely to be killed than at 30mph.
Will Norman, London's Walking and Cycling Commissioner, said TfL is determined to build a safer, greener London for everyone.
He added: "The continued expansion of the 20mph programme on TfL roads is playing a vital role in making the capital's roads safer for people to walk, cycle and use public transport.
"This forms an important part of the Mayor's Vision Zero plan and we will continue to work with colleagues in boroughs to keep improving the safety of London's roads."
The new speed limits would be supported by new signs and road markings, with TfL and the Metropolitan Police working together to ensure drivers comply.
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Small changes would be made to existing speed cameras to update their enforcement threshold to reflect the new speed.
The new 20mph areas would also have banners introduced to increase driver awareness.
By May 2024, TfL hopes to have lower speed limits on more than 140km of its roads in inner and outer London, following limit changes in February 2022.
Penny Rees, Head of Healthy Streets Investment at TfL, said: "We are determined to eliminate deaths and serious injuries from London's roads in line with our Vision Zero goal.
"Millions of walking and cycling journeys are made across London every day and a person is five times less likely to be killed if hit at 20mph than at 30mph.
"That's why we've committed to reducing speed limits on our road network in the capital - and these proposals will make a real difference in cutting road danger and enabling more people to walk and cycle."
Following the rollout of the new speed limits, TfL will continue to monitor the situation to determine whether further measures are required.
It is estimated that this year, the police will enforce around 650,000 speeding offences.
This is an increase of around 30 percent compared to 2021/2022.