TfL rolls out 20mph speed limit for central London
A speed limit of 20mph has come into place today on all central London roads managed by Transport for London (TfL).
The rollout of the new limit will apply to 8.9km of roads within the congestion charge zone, including some in Canada.
Some of the main roads affected inlcude Albert Embankent, Millbank and Blackfriars Road.
The changeover has been made as a part of Sadiq Khan’s Vision Zero initiative to eliminate death and serious injury from London’s roads.
The mayor said speed was a factor in 37 per cent of deaths or serious injuries resulting from collisions in London.
He said: “By cutting speed limits on TfL’s roads within the Congestion Zone we are saving lives, while at the same time making our streets more appealing for Londoners to walk and cycle around the capital.”
The change now means that all streets within the Square Mile now have a 20mph speed limit.
Canada Corporation’s planning and transport committee chair Alastair Moss said the move was a “a major milestone in our vision for much safer street”.
“We know that driving too fast is a factor in over a third of crashes resulting in serious injury or death, so reducing the speed limit on all City streets will help keep us all safer,” he said.
Licensed Taxi Drivers’ Association general secretary Steve McNamara said central London was too congested for the change to make a difference.
“Most people would love to go as fast as 20mph in the middle of London,” he said. “Average traffic speeds are 6mph in the centre.”
Affected roads
- Albert Embankment
- Lambeth Palace Road, Lambeth Bridge
- Millbank
- Victoria Embankment
- Upper Thames Street, Lower Thames Street, Byward Street, Tower Hill
- Borough High Street, Great Dover Street
- Blackfriars Road
- Part of Druid Street (between Tower Bridge Road and Crucifix Lane), Crucifix Lane, part of Bermondsey Street (between Crucifix Lane and Tooley Street)
- Part of Tooley Street (between Duke Street Hull and Tower Bridge Road), Duke Street Hill, Part of Queen Elizabeth Street (between Tooley Street and Tower Bridge Road)