London councils did not assess 20mph cost

Boroughs failed to analyse economic impact of slower traffic before blanket reduction in speed limit

LONDON councils did not consider the economic cost of implementing 20mph speed limits across the capital, The Telegraph can reveal.

Eleven boroughs in the capital have blanket 20mph speed limits across all of their roads, a move made in the hope of reducing deaths and serious injuries among pedestrians and cyclists.

Transport for London (TfL) says that 1,000 people are injured or killed every year by drivers exceeding the speed limit.

However, eight of the 11 boroughs have admitted they have no record of carrying out a formal cost-benefit analysis before lowering their speed limits.

Cost-benefit analyses are supposed to be carried out before public bodies decide to spend taxpayers’ money on new projects.

Councils for City of London, Hackney, Islington, Kensington and Chelsea, Lewisham, Richmond and Wandsworth, Southwark and Tower Hamlets all said in freedom of information (FOI) responses that they had no records of any cost-benefit analysis before they introduced 20mph speed limits. The lower limit now covers half of all roads inside the M25.

Research from TomTom, the satnav company, found that London is the world’s slowest city in which to drive.

Ranil Jayawardena, the former international trade minister, said: “Pro20mph local government officials often claim that ever slower limits are needed for safety reasons. They imply opponents don’t value life. It’s powerful rhetoric.

“Yet studies show the safety difference between 30mph and 20mph is limited, even negligible. It is certainly much smaller than that between 40mph and 30mph.”

Liam Deacon, the campaigner who asked councils for the evidence backing 20mph speed limits, said: “Polling indicates that, where they have been introduced, blanket 20mph limits are opposed by large majorities.

“Yet many rural councils, TfL, and

‘Studies show the safety difference between 30mph and 20mph is limited, even negligible’

nearly all London borough councils are energetically campaigning for them.”

John O’Connell, the chief executive of the TaxPayers’ Alliance, said: “Residents will be reeling from these revelations that local authorities are forcing controversial schemes through without consideration of the costs.

“These 20mph zones are driving motorists crazy, yet numerous councils have failed to do basic due diligence on the pros and cons.

“Town halls should urgently review these zones to ensure that they are actually delivering results for local people.”

Camden council said it had carried out an “extensive” analysis before imposing its blanket 20mph limits nine years ago but gave no further details.

Westminster said it had a “clear evidenced case” on file about its 2019 decision to impose blanket 20mph limits.

Hackney said that it had lost all of its records about introducing 20mph limits in a 2020 cyber attack, so could not say if officials carried out an analysis.

TfL has earlier said that lowering speeds was a “crucial part” of its Vision Zero plan for reducing road deaths.

Millions of pounds have been spent imposing 20mph limits across the capital, including nearly £17 million by TfL.

A Richmond council spokesman said its detailed plans for blanket 20mph limits “were set out clearly to residents throughout the consultation and engagement period for the proposals”.

The City of London Corporation said no economic cost benefit analysis was carried out, but a spokesman insisted “sufficient evidence was presented to show the benefits of implementing a lower speed limit on reducing the number and severity of casualties”.