Transport chiefs plan 20mph speed limit and new cycle lane near London Bridge station in bid to cut pollution

Transport chiefs are planning to slash the speed limit and introduce a cycle lane on a key central London road in a bid to prioritise buses and cyclists.

The plans put forward by Transport for London are aimed at cutting pollution and making the busy Tooley Street safer and more welcoming as people exit London Bridge station.

The proposals include reducing the speed limit to 20mph on the 850m stretch between London Bridge and Tower Bridge.

A 2 metre wide cycle lane would also be built on the busy stretch of road running from the station to Borough High Street.

Duke Street Hill, which leads to Tooley Street, will also be restricted to buses and cyclists only turning eastbound from Borough High Street.

The scheme is designed as a short-term fix to reduce traffic before a major revamp at a later date, which will include extending Cycle Superhighway 4 towards London Bridge.

The proposals, which are part of mayor Sadiq Khan’s plan for healthier streets, are under-going a two month consultation period. The closing date for responses is January 8.

Mr Khan’s healthy streets plan was introduced in response to increasingly toxic pollution levels in the capital. The principle aim is to get Londoners to use cars less and to make more journeys by foot, bike or public transport.

Cycle Superhighway was first proposed last year and would create a continuous segregated route between Tower Bridge and Greenwich once completed, with the option of extending further to London Bridge.