London was lauded today as “one of the safest cities on the planet” after the murder rate fell to a 42-year low.

A total of 99 people were murdered in the capital last year, with the lowest previous figure of recent years — 105 — recorded in 1970.

The new total includes six teenagers, compared to 15 in 2011. The number of gun murders also fell to six, compared to 14 the previous year, while knife murders dropped to 47 from 56.

Detective Chief Superintendent Hamish Campbell, head of Scotland Yard’s homicide operations, said the statistics show London is now “one of the safest cities on the planet”, adding: “I do not a recall a time when the number of homicides fell below 100.

“I think when you consider London is one of the biggest cities in the world with a population of seven million this is a significant milestone and shows that the capital is a safe place to live.”

The murder rate has been falling steadily for a number of years, said Mr Campbell. In 2008 the total stood at 155, while it was 113 in 2011. He credited a combination of factors.

“I think the way police patrol public space, stop-and-search tactics and factors such as youth engagement strategies and education all combine to make a difference,” he said. “There is also the concerted effort by the Trident gangs command in recovering firearms and tackling gangs which has had an impact on violence.”

The emergency services have also played a role in reducing the number of victims, he said, with paramedics now able to operate in the street on serious knife or bullet wounds.

Most London murders continue to be “domestic” cases where victim and killer are known to each other. Stranger attacks account for about 20 per cent of the total, while a number result from drunken fights in pubs and clubs.

The new figures come 20 months after the appointment of Met Commissioner Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe who launched “total policing”, with hundreds of officers assigned to a particular issue, more targeted stop and search, new technology such as number plate reading cameras, and target-driven monthly grillings for commanders.