Sadiq Khan to fine drivers £100 fines if they break new 20mph limit

Londoners face 20mph speed limits on main roads in the city centre and £100 fines if they break the rules, under new plans unveiled today.  

Transport for London wants to roll out lower speed limits on the majority of roads inside the capital’s congestion zone.

This would mean 5.5 miles of London’s streets would carry a £100 fine for drivers caught speeding. 

The plans for red routes were revealed today with a second phase proposed to reduce all speed limits in suburban London by 10mph by 2024. 

London drivers are likely to be furious about the new charges, which come on top of £12.50 toxic air fees introduced earlier this year. 

London Mayor Sadiq Khan is putting the proposals out for consultation today in a bid to get them put into place by May 2020. 

The main roads affected in central London include the Albert and Victoria Embankments, Millbank and Borough High Street. 

James Roberts, Political Director of the TaxPayers’ Alliance, said: ‘Khan is clobbering motorists and delivery drivers with yet another meaningless charge – just like the ULEZ van tax – which will make no difference to the environment or road safety, but are just designed to raise an cheeky bit of cash. 

‘If London’s going to remain open for business, Sadiq should scrap his van tax and axe plans for these hidden charges.’

Despite not being in the congestion zone, the Aldgate Gyratory would also be reduced to 20mph if the plans are given the green light. 

The measures also include raised pedestrian crossings at ‘high risk’ locations near Embankment, Tower Hill and the Tate Britain.

They are designed to act as speed bumps so pedestrians are safer when they cross the road. 

If the initial changes are brought in, transport officials will push for 93 miles of roads in Greater London to reduce their speed limits over the next five years. 

Several Londoners have already slammed the plans, claiming they are redundant on busy roads that are so congested with traffic you often can’t get above 20mph anyway. 

Manchester City Council was forced to scrap a 20mph scheme that cost taxpayers £1.7million after they found it made no difference.

It was abandoned in 2017 – five years after it launched – when figures revealed speed limits in some areas had actually gone up.  

Steve McNamara, of the Licensed Taxi Drivers Association, hit out at today’s proposals, telling the BBC: ‘Most people would love to go as fast as 20mph in the middle of London.

‘Average traffic speeds are 6mph in the centre – we have the lowest traffic speed of any city in Europe, barring Moscow.

‘I can’t think of anywhere in central London it would make any difference at all, at least in the daytime. Those roads are all at a virtual standstill.’

Steve Garelick, who is union GMB’s regional spokesman, fears the speed limits could see night time drivers and moped riders suffer.

He also claims statistics do not always suggest 20mph speed limits reduce the number of road deaths.

He told MailOnline: Our concerns will be that drivers and riders who work late at night delivering food for Deliveroo or dropping of goods to places like Pret A Manger will suffer unnecessarily.

‘There is hardly any traffic on the roads at night and those drivers rely on getting their loads dropped off quickly.

‘The stats don’t always stack up – some of these lower speed limits have been rolled out on non-TfL roads across London and we haven’t seen a reduction in accidents.’

He said he would wait for members views and but public safety is the main priority, he added: ‘Also during the day, most roads in central London are so busy you can’t get above 20mph anyway.’

The proposals come as part of TfL bosses’ efforts to reduce the number of car crash deaths in London.

They want to eliminate road deaths in the capital altogether by 2041.  

A total of 128 people were killed and 2,256 injured on London’s streets in the last three years. 

Officials claiming that 37 per cent of collisions are caused by drivers going to fast.

A pedestrian hit at 30mph is five times more likely to die than if they are hit at 20mph. 

Mayor Sadiq Khan said in a statement: ‘Each year more than 4,000 people are killed or seriously injured on London’s streets. 

‘The evidence is clear – lowering speeds on the most dangerous roads saves lives. 

‘The proposed 20mph speed limit on TfL roads within the Congestion Charge Zone and at Aldgate Gyratory will protect people walking and cycling and other road users in the busiest part of the capital.’  

The speed limits are likely to be controversial among businesses that rely on driving in central London.

Taxi drivers and residents were furious earlier this year when the Ultra Low Emission Zone saw a huge hike in fees for those travelling through the heart of the city. 

Drivers of older, more polluting cars now have to pay a £12.50 charge.

Diesel cars must be less than roughly four years old to avoid the charge, while petrol cars must be less than about 13 years old.

But many drivers have been left unimpressed, with one describing it as ‘another tax on Londoners that can’t afford a new vehicle’ and another labelling it a ‘stealth tax’.