London roads to be made safer with 28km of new 20mph speed limits on TfL roads

Credit: Transport for London

Transport for London (TfL) has announced that it will bring in 20mph speed limits on its roads in Camden, Islington, Hackney, Haringey and Tower Hamlets from 31 March 2023. The changes will see almost all the roads in the boroughs have a consistent 20mph speed limit on both the Transport for London Road Network (TLRN) and borough road network.

Indicative TfL monitoring of the 20mph speed limits that had been introduced on roads within the central London Congestion Charging Zone shows a significant reduction in the number of collisions since it had been introduction. Data collected from 1 May 2020 to 30 June 2022 shows that the number of collisions has reduced by 25 % (from 406 to 304), and collisions resulting in death or serious injury have reduced by 25% (from 94 to 71), demonstrating the huge impact of lowering speeds across London. 

Although, vulnerable road users continue to be most at risk on London’s roads,  since the introduction of the 20mph speed limits, collisions involving vulnerable road users have decreased by 36% (from 453 to 290), while collisions involving people walking have decreased by 63% (from 124 to 46).

The 20mph speed limits will be introduced on sections of the A503, A501, A41, A1, A10, A11 and A1203, and will help to make a large area of London safer and more attractive for people in these communities to live and work, encouraging more people out of their cars and to walk, cycle and use public transport more often. 

TfL proposes 65km of 20mph speed limits in London

The new speed limits will be supported by new signs and road markings, and TfL is working closely with the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) to ensure that drivers understand and comply with the new lower speed limits. Banners attached to streetlamps in the new 20mph areas will also be put in place to increase driver awareness of the new speed limit. 

TfL is committed to expanding its lowering speed limits programme and is now working to lower speeds on 140km of its roads by 2024 and in 37 town centre locations in inner and outer London. TfL is working with MPS to increase their capacity to take enforcement against drivers and riders who speed and are on target to be able to take action on a million speeding offences by 2024. In 2022/23, the police will enforce around 650,000 speeding offences, an increase of around 30% compared to the previous year.

London’s Walking and Cycling Commissioner, Will Norman, said: “TfL data shows that 20mph speed limits are reducing the number of collisions on London’s roads, highlighting how important the continued expansion of the 20mph programme is. Lowering speeds is one of the most important things we can do to reduce road danger and we’ll continue to work with TfL, the Met Police and London’s boroughs to make it easier and safer for people to walk, cycle and use public transport, creating a safer, greener London for everyone.”

Penny Rees, TfL’s Head of Healthy Streets Investment, said: “We are determined to eliminate deaths and serious injuries from London’s roads in line with our Vision Zero goal. Speed continues to be a factor in almost half of fatal collisions in London and this is not acceptable. It’s clear that these new 20mph speed limits will not only save lives, but also make it easier and safer for people to walk, cycle and use public transport, creating a safer, greener London for everyone.”