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20mph limits on main roads in five boroughs under Sadiq Khan plan

The rollout of new 20mph zones come as part of Sadiq Khan’s Vision Zero plan, which aims to end death and injury on the roads - PA Images/Alamy Stock Photo
The rollout of new 20mph zones come as part of Sadiq Khan’s Vision Zero plan, which aims to end death and injury on the roads - PA Images/Alamy Stock Photo

All major roads in five of London’s inner London boroughs will be turned into 20mph zones under new Transport for London (TfL) plans.

TfL-run roads in Camden, Islington, Hackney, Haringey and Tower Hamlets – representing 18 miles of road – will all have their speed limits reduced from Friday.

The rollout of new 20mph zones come as part of Sadiq Khan’s Vision Zero plan, which aims to end death and serious injury on London’s roads.

Under the plan, the London Mayor intends to reduce the speed limits of 137 miles of roads across TfL’s rnetwork. The majority of these will see roads move from 30mph to 20mph, but will also include reductions from 40mph to 30mph.

TfL is responsible for London’s strategic road network, or red routes, which equate to about five per cent of the city’s 9,190-mile network but carries 30 per cent of its traffic. Currently, 68 miles of TfL roads have 20 mph speed limits, including all congestion charge roads.

The decision to convert the roads comes after data collected by TfL between 2020 and 2022 showed that the number of collisions on roads had reduced by 25 per cent after restrictions were brought in. The data also revealed that collisions resulting in death had dropped by 25 per cent, from 94 to 71.

However, research by experts at Queen’s University last year found that although speed limits reduce traffic they do little to stop accidents. It compared four different years before and after 20mph zones were brought in and showed little change in short or long-term outcomes for road traffic collisions, casualties or driver speed.

TfL said it was working with the Metropolitan Police to increase its capacity for catching speeders, with the aim of taking action against one million by 2024. In the last 12 months, 650,000 drivers were caught speeding.

Penny Rees, TfL’s head of healthy sreets 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.”