London Cycling Campaign welcomes Transport for London (TfL)'s announcement that it will be trialling 20mph speed limits on key roads in central London. LCC has long campaigned for 20mph speed limits in London: 20mph saves lives, and these trials are a welcome step forward towards reducing road danger to cyclists and pedestrians.

TfL have announced an initial set of eight locations on its road network (the TLRN), starting with Commercial Street to coincide with the introduction of Tower Hamlets' borough wide 20mph speed limit in April.

The new plans are part of the Mayor's Road Safety plan to reduce the number of people killed or seriously injured on London's roads by 40%. TfL say that further 20mph limits along the TfL road network are to be explored, while boroughs will continue to be supported to implement 20mph speed limits on their roads.

Once the 20mph limit is implemented on Commercial Street, the route could be extended to cover the wider “Shoreditch Triangle” and sections of the A10, in line with Hackney’s 20mph borough wide aspirations.

TfL will be working with boroughs to look at implementing 20mph at another seven locations:

Upper Street and Holloway Road (between Pentonville Road and Seven Sisters Road);

Westminster Bridge, Stamford Street and Southwark St (between Victoria Embankment and Borough High Street - this trial would also incorporate the previous 20mph trial at Waterloo Roundabout);

Brixton Town Centre (between St Matthews Road and Stockwell Park Walk);

Clapham High Street (between Clapham Park Road and Bedford Road, which forms part of Cycle Superhighway 7);

Earls Court Road and Redcliffe Gardens (between A4 Cromwell Road and Fulham Road);

Kings Cross Road and Farringdon Road (between Pentonville Road and Charterhouse Road, linking up with the previous 20mph trial along Farringdon St and Blackfriars Bridge);

Camden Street (between Camden Road and Crowndale Road).

These new 20mph routes would build on a growing 20mph network. TfL are piloting 20mph at Waterloo IMAX roundabout and on two key routes through the City of London. A 20mph speed limit has already been introduced along Camberwell New Road and at New Cross Gate and is being considered at Elephant & Castle Northern roundabout. Almost 25 per cent of all London roads are now 20mph and London boroughs such as Islington, Camden and the City of London are leading the way with borough-wide 20mph limits on their roads. Hackney is also seeking to introduce 20mph next year.