Where will Transport for London impose new 20mph speed limits? trends now
A new 20mph speed limit is set to be imposed on a further 40 miles of roads across London from September, transport bosses revealed today.
The lower limits are expected to be launched in Greenwich, Lewisham, Southwark, Wandsworth, Merton, Bromley, Lambeth and Kensington and Chelsea.
The changes form part of plans by Transport for London (TfL) to cut the speed limit by 10mph on a further 87 miles of roads in inner and outer London by May 2024.
This would take the overall total of reduced limits to 137 miles by the end of next year - a target which is part of Mayor and TfL chair Sadiq Khan's 'Vision Zero' goal that aims to eliminate death and serious injury from the capital's transport network.
But the RAC told MailOnline that 'a lot depends on how well drivers obey the limit' and warned TfL would need proper enforcement or traffic-calming measures to ensure compliance. As it stands, 68 miles of TfL roads have 20mph speed limits.
It comes amid a backdrop of criticism over Mr Khan's so-called 'war on motorists' which has also focused on the expansion of the ultra low emission zone (Ulez), constant roadworks, low-traffic neighbourhoods and cycle lanes. Mr Khan has denied such a war exists and insists he has a duty to tackle 'poisonous air'.
Today's announcement also comes a week after the use of 20mph zones in built-up areas was thrown into chaos when a police chief admitted many can't be enforced.
Transport for London is proposing new 20mph speed limits on these roads from September
Last November, TfL said that it wanted a new 20mph limit over 17 miles of its roads across Camden, Islington, Hackney, Haringey and Tower Hamlets.
That followed the implementation of 8.5miles of lower limits that began in February last year, after a 20mph limit was brought in on all TfL roads within the Congestion Charge zone in March 2020.
Reacting to the new proposals, RAC road safety spokesman Simon Williams told MailOnline: 'We believe it's important that 20mph limits are used in places where they stand to make the biggest positive impact to road safety, such as where there are large volumes of motorised traffic, cyclists and pedestrians.
'Our research also shows drivers are less likely to take notice of 20mph signs if they don't believe they're appropriate for the type of road, so we hope TfL has thought carefully about where best to reduce the limit.'
He added: 'Reducing an urban speed limit to 20mph undoubtedly improves safety for everyone, but a lot depends on how well drivers obey the limit.
'Without enforcement or traffic-calming measures, compliance is unlikely to be as good as it should be, which unfortunately limits how successful the lower limit will be.'
TfL said safety concerns were the primary driver behind the plans, saying that lower speed limits play a 'critical role' in Mr Khan's 'Vision Zero' plan.
Bosses added that people hit by a vehicle at 20mph are about five times less likely to be killed than at 30mph.
TfL has now launched 'local engagement' on the plans which officials hope will make areas 'safer and more attractive for people in these communities to live, work and play, encouraging more people out of their cars and to walk, cycle and use public transport more often'.
TfL said the new speed limits would be supported by new signs and road markings, and existing speed cameras would have their enforcement threshold changed to reflect the new speed limit.
Banners attached to street lamps in the new 20mph areas would also be put in place.
TfL said it was working with the Metropolitan Police to increase the levels of speed enforcement, with the aim of being able to enforce up to one million speeding offences per year by 2024/2025.
London Mayor Sadiq Khan's has faced significant criticism over his so-called 'war on motorists'
It said that this year, 2022/23, the police will enforce around 650,000 speeding offences, which is a rise of about 30 per cent on the previous year.
In 2021/22, the Met enforced 476,685 speeding offences, which was itself an increase of 72 per cent compared with the year before.
Will Norman, London's Walking and Cycling Commissioner, said: 'The facts are clear, a person hit by a vehicle at 20mph is five times less likely to be killed than at 30mph.
'We are determined to build a safer, greener London for everyone and 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.'
And Penny Rees, TfL head of Healthy Streets Investment, said: 'We are determined to eliminate deaths and serious injuries from London's roads in line with our
