The City of London is aiming to introduce a blanket speed limit of 15mph “citywide,” says a planning document to be discussed in a transport committee next month. The proposed measure is in order to save lives and reduce air pollution.
In the document, Bruce McVean, acting assistant director of transportation at the City of London Corporation, reveals he is to seek permission for the speed limit change from England’s Minister of Transport, Grant Shapps.
“A request for in principle support for a 15mph speed limit will shortly be submitted to the Secretary of State for Transport,” said McVean.
“If this is agreed, we will begin work on an experimental traffic order (ETO) to introduce a City-wide 15mph limit, with the aim of having this in place before the end of 2022.”
City-wide refers only to the City of London—or “Square Mile”—rather than Greater London.
The plans—highlighted by eagle-eyed Twitter user @lastnotlost—will be discussed at a transport committee meeting on October 5.
“Through the Transport Strategy we have committed to eliminate death and serious injuries on the City’s streets by 2040,” says the document submitted to the committee.
As well as introducing a 15mph speed limit the City of London also aims to widen sidewalks in a “Pedestrian Priority Programme” that will “give more priority to people walking.”
There will also be an expanded cycle network with links from Aldgate to the protected cycleway on the Thames Embankment.
London’s financial district previously planned to introduce a 15mph speed limit in 2019. At the time, AA president Edmund King said it would not make much difference because motor traffic in the Square Mile has “moved no faster than a horse and cart for 100 years anyway.”
A briefing document for the 2019 plans, which did not progress, stated that cyclists would also be subject to the 15mph speed limit.
According to the 1984 Road Traffic Regulation Act it is only motorists who are subject to adhering to speed limits. Cyclists are not mentioned; nor are cyclists mentioned in the do-not-speed sections of the Highway Code.
U.K. speed limits are set in 10mph increments. Between 1931 and 1935 the U.K.’s motorists were free to drive at any speed they wished: there were no speed limits (instead, there were lots of deaths).
Orkney, an archipelago off the northeastern coast of Scotland, has had 15mph speed limits on some residential streets since 1993.
Article updated, September 28, with information on U.K. regulations on speeding. Updated headline to state “City of London.”
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