Large parts of central London will move to 20mph from early 2020 after Transport for London announced plans to convert 8.9km of roads to the lower speed limit.
TfL is making the changes to all roads in the Congestion Charge Zone, bringing the area in line with many other London boroughs which have adopted the slower 20mph.
The move comes after a public consultation which saw almost 2,000 respondents with many suggesting that the move would have a positive impact on walking and 31% saying that more people would choose to walk. Three out of five questioned said the move would lead to more people cycling, while two in five thought the changes would have a positive impact on public transport.
Mayor Sadiq Khan said: “I'm really pleased that Londoners have backed our plans to introduce a 20mph speed limit on TfL roads within the Congestion Charge Zone and at Aldgate Gyratory.
“By also bringing forward plans to lower speed limits in other parts London, we will help protect more people walking and cycling across our city.”
As well as new 20mph signage in the affected areas, TfL will also recalibrate all speed cameras to ensure the new limits are adhered to. The move will also see seven raised pedestrian crossings introduced in areas where a high number of pedestrians congregate.
Though Transport for London points out that 128 people were killed in the last three years due to speed-related collisions on London’s streets, there is conflicting evidence that reducing the speed limit does not reduce the number of car crashes, with Manchester City Council actually cancelling the 20mph rollout two years ago.