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First London borough set for blanket 20mph limit
David Williams, Motoring Editor20 Feb 2008
Lewisham is to become the first London council to launch a 20mph speed limit on virtually all roads.
The limit would replace the current 30mph maximum, under plans inspired by the Green Party.
The council's sustainable development select committee has voted in favour of the scheme, which will make Lewisham a guinea pig for the rest of the capital.
Borough mayor Sir Steve Bullock has endorsed the plan, which is the brainchild of Green councillor Sue Luxton.
She said the lower limit would be enforced by a ring of cameras, removing the need for costly road humps.
It also means humps in other parts of the borough, where 18 small-scale 20mph zones have been introduced already, can be phased out.
Miss Luxton said the move was essential to encourage walking and cycling, and would help clean the capital's air by encouraging a shift away from cars.
Three weeks ago Mayor Ken Livingstone said he wanted most of London to have a 20mph limit. He called on each of the capital's 33 local authorities to launch borough-wide safety zones after evidence that they cut accidents and injuries by half.
Until now boroughs have only been allowed to introduce 20mph in limited areas. Nearly 60 per cent of Lewisham is already covered by these small zones.
Transport for London has approved trials of wireless cameras. Boroughs will not have to install them but will get backing from TfL if they can prove there is a need. Major through-routes can be exempted from 20mph limits.
Miss Luxton said routes such as the South Circular Road may be exempt: "[20mph] would not apply to every road but it would be the norm. I'd like to see this go ahead in the next year or two."
Sir Steve added: "We are only going to crack this when we change the way people think. We need people to think the normal speed is 20mph, not 30mph."
Islington recently missed out on becoming the first council to introduce a borough-wide 20mph limit when proposals were defeated by one vote.
The AA has warned a blanket 20mph for London would hamper travel. It wants councils to introduce such zones only in sensitive or residential areas.
Reader views (16)
Why oh why do councillors think they know what's best for everyone! I work shifts and have three small children. The use of a car is essential for comfort and ease
compared to the bus. When I am eventually forced out of my car have to subsequently rely on public transport and lose my job will they be happy for me to claim benefits? Maybe I can apply for a job with the green party who don't seem to have a clue about the reality of life.
- Maxine, Catford, London, 08/05/2008 17:56
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Why not also on the south circular? studies prove that lower speeds can actually improve traffic flow on busy roads, and it would also reduce noise!
- Greg Watts, Forest Hill, UK, 18/04/2008 13:38
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I work in Lewisham and most days you can't even get out of first gear the traffics so bad and when you do the roads are so diabolical you have to drive at a snail pace to avoid completely wrecking your car. This is just to make you use tfl more but I'd rather not sit next to someone who hasn't learnt the concept of bathing and then have the person sitting behind me sneeze all over the back of my neck. I can not wait for Ken Livingstone to be booted out of office
- Maurine, walworth,london, 22/02/2008 14:32
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Just another tragic example of unreal policies cooked up by these inadequates voted into office under right on banners - if these proposals go ahead I will be very amused to see if Ms. Luxton retains her seat. Perhaps then she'll have to get a real job and wake up to the reality inflicted upon us other residents of the borough by her and the other cronies.
- Rl, Lewish, UK, 22/02/2008 13:28
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I live in Lewisham just off the Brockley Road. In the past ten years, there have been three separate hit-and-run deaths on that road. I prefer to drive at over 20mph. I didn't like having to pay out recently when I had my car serviced to have the anti-roll mechanism repaired on my car as the result of speed-hump use.
But I'll tell you something else: my problems are insignificant compared to the families who have lost loved ones because of speeding motorists.
- Ray, london,UK, 22/02/2008 11:28
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There are many shorter routes to power than by standing for the Green Party - if it was about power I'd have joined one of the big three parties long ago!
A 20mph zone is not likely to increase congestion and pollution.
While the average vehicle travelling at a constant 30 mph will emit less CO2 than at a constant 20 mph, all drivers know this does not reflect normal urban driving conditions where speeds are far from constant. Research suggests a default 20mph limit would lead to a smoother traffic flow, with less braking and acceleration, and should therefore reduce emissions.
More fundamentally, a lower limit will encourage more people to walk or cycle, bringing health benefits and reduced air pollution and CO2 emissions. Other cities with area-wide 20mph limits, such as Graz in Austria, have seen significant shifts from cars to walking and cycling. And of course, a child hit at 20mph is more likely to live than if they are hit at 30mph.
Just to clarify, however, these are at this stage just recommendations the committee has made (with cross-party agreement), based on the evidence collected during our scrutiny. I very much hope that Lewisham will follow the example of places like Portsmouth and adopt a default 20mph zone, with a few main arteries such as the South Circular exempted, but the final decision rests with the directly-elected Mayor and TfL.
- Cllr Sue Luxton, Lewisham, London, 21/02/2008 23:55
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Our green councillor in North Oxford has set an example of how she would prefer people to travel she rides around on a child's scooter.
- Jason Bierce, Richmond surrey, 21/02/2008 23:34
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In 1930 the national 20 mph speed limit was abandoned as being 'out-dated', now we have thousands of miles of 20 mph roads, which seem to be increasing at a very rapid rate. These Luddites want us to return to a time when you went nowhere and did nothing. Roads are for the movement of people and goods and that is why we enjoy the standard of living that our fore fathers could only dream of. Get Ken and his cronies out!
- Terry Hudson, Herne Bay, Kent, 21/02/2008 21:37
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The councillors in Lewisham must live in Bubble wrap, they have not the first clue, complete clowns and dim wits, very few people will drive at 20mph without speed bumps, only the Police being there full-time would stop motorists, and that isn't going to happen.
Twerps, in fact I'm laughing as I write, these dopes actually believe what they say will be obeyed!
- George, Hempstead, 21/02/2008 19:30
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I thought the average speed in London was only about 15 miles an hour anyway. Before long you will have to push your car like Fred Flintstone if these people get their way, what century are we in ?
- D Long, London, England, 21/02/2008 18:54
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Driving at 20 can actually increase pollution levels. The current political agenda in London refuses to recognise that free flowing traffic creates less pollution, not more! Every other European City creates better junctions, underpasses all aimed at improving road safety, reducing delay etc. Only London goes out of it's way to make life as painful as possible.
- Jonathan Frost, London, 21/02/2008 15:27
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You Londoners MUST vote these people out of Office! Otherwise you will only have yourselves to blame!
- Saul James, Manchester, 21/02/2008 14:20
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Unbelievably stupid. Thank heavens I am leaving the UK in the next 12 months!
- Hudson Stubbs, Lewisham, London, UK, 21/02/2008 13:10
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The Green party are in it for power and their own self interest, not for the good of the residents.
Complete madness when a cyclist can overtake a car and be completely immune from all traffic regulations and taxes.
Bring the straight jackets, the councillors of Lewisham need locking away.
- Peter, West Midlands, 20/02/2008 23:09
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Inconveniences the majority and benefits a minority. But hey, that's the way this country has been going for a while now. Silly and stupid, glad I don't live or travel in Lewisham!
- Peter, Enfield, England, 20/02/2008 21:40
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Ho long before we go back to having a man with a red flag in front of every vehicle?
- Dave Barclay, Fareham UK, 20/02/2008 13:47
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