TfL plans more 20mph speed limits in eight London boroughs

The speed limits would be introduced in Greenwich, Kensington and Chelsea, Lewisham, Southwark, Wandsworth, Merton, Bromley and Lambeth.
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Transport for London (TfL) has launched local engagement on plans to introduce 65km of new 20mph speed limits in eight London boroughs.

The new speed limits would be introduced within the Royal Borough of Greenwich, Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, Lewisham, Southwark, Wandsworth, Merton, Bromley and Lambeth.

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These plans are part of what the mayor calls his Vision Zero goal of eliminating death and serious injury from London’s transport network, and enabling more walking and cycling in the capital.

TfL 20mph roads

TfL hopes to introduce the 20mph limit on sections of the following roads:

  • A205: Woolwich Common, South Circular Road, Catford Road, Stanstead Road, London Road, Thurlow Road, Christchurch Road, Poynders Road, Dulwich Common
  • A20: Eltham Road, Lee High Road, Lewisham Way
  • A202: Queens Road, Peckham High Street, Camberwell Church Street, Camberwell New Road
  • A2: New Cross Road, Old Kent Road
  • A201: New Kent Road
  • A100: Tower Bridge Road
  • A200: Jamaica Road
  • A3: Clapham Road, Kennington Park Road
  • A3204: Kennington Lane
  • A203: Stockwell Road
  • A23: Camberwell New Road, Streatham Hill, Streatham High Road
  • A214: Tooting Bec Road
  • A24: Clapham Common South Side, Balham High Road, Upper Tooting Road, High Street Colliers Wood
  • A4: Cromwell Road, Brompton Road
  • A3220: Pembroke Road, Holland Road, Warwick Road, Redcliffe Gardens
  • A232: West Wickham High Street

If plans go ahead, works to introduce the new speed limits could begin in September 2023.

Pedestrians cross the road outside Tooting Bec station. Credit: TfLPedestrians cross the road outside Tooting Bec station. Credit: TfL
Pedestrians cross the road outside Tooting Bec station. Credit: TfL

New signage and markings

TfL says the new speed limits would be supported by new signs and road markings and that it would be working closely with the Met Police to ensure drivers understand and comply with them.

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Existing speed cameras would have their enforcement threshold changed to reflect the new speed limit and banners attached to street lamps in the new 20mph areas would also be put in place to increase driver awareness.

Following implementation, TfL says it plans to carry out monitoring to determine whether further measures to reduce vehicle speeds are required.

In 2020 the police reported speed as a contributory factor in almost half of fatal collisions.

Will Norman, London’s walking and cycling commissioner, said: “The facts are clear, a person hit by a vehicle at 20mph is five times less likely to be killed than at 30mph.

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“We are determined to build a safer, greener London for everyone and the continued expansion of the 20mph programme on TfL roads is playing a vital role in making the capital’s roads safer for people to walk, cycle and use public transport.”

TfL healthy streets

Penny Rees, TfL 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.

“Millions of walking and cycling journeys are made across London every day and a person is five times less likely to be killed if hit at 20mph than at 30mph.”

Late last year, TfL launched local engagement on plans to introduce 28km of new 20mph speed limit on its roads within the boroughs of Camden, Islington, Hackney, Haringey and Tower Hamlets.

TfL is now working to lower speeds on more than 140km of its roads by May 2024 in inner and outer London, after introducing 13.7km of new lower speed limit schemes in February 2022.

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