Speed limit for central London will be cut to 20mph by 2020

‘Our bold and far-reaching plans being announced today are some of the most ambitious in the world’

A 20MPH speed limit will be introduced on every Transport for London-managed road in central London by 2020 as part of plans to eliminate deaths and serious injuries on the capital’s roads.

The measure was unveiled as part of the Vision Zero initiative, published by Sadiq Khan, the London mayor, TFL and the Metropolitan Police, as latest figures reveal over 2,000 people are killed or seriously injured on London’s roads each year.

It is proposed that vehicles travelling on all of London’s red routes – roads managed by TFL – which are inside the congestion charge zone will be subjected to a 20mph limit.

TFL is also considering introducing the same limit on its roads in other town centres and high-risk locations across the capital.

Pedestrians hit by a vehicle driven at 20mph are five times less likely to be killed than if they are hit at 30mph, according to the mayor’s office. Mr Khan said: “I don’t accept that deaths and serious injuries on London’s roads are something we just have to put up with.

“Every single death or serious injury results in heartache and tragedy for those affected, and their loved ones.

“Our bold and far-reaching plans being announced today are some of the most ambitious in the world, and start from the basis that no death or serious injury on London’s roads should be treated as acceptable or inevitable.

“At the heart of our plans is reducing the dangers of speeding vehicles across London, which is why we’re proposing a new general speed limit of 20mph on TFL roads within the congestion charging zone – protecting cyclists, pedestrians and all road users in the busiest part of the capital.”