Transport for London makes change to help reduce risk of injuries and death, reports Joe Talora, Local Democracy Reporter, and James Cracknell

*30mph signs have now been put up along the A10, south of Great Cambridge Roundabout*

Lower speed limits have been introduced on several A roads across London – including a section of the A10 in Edmonton – as part of efforts to cut the number of injuries and deaths.

Transport for London (TfL) announced a new 30mph speed limit on the A10 Great Cambridge Road between White Hart Lane and the junction with the North Circular.

In addition, new 20mph speed limits will be introduced on the A10 to A503 corridor in Haringey, the A13 Commercial Road in Tower Hamlets, the A23 London Road in Croydon and the A107 corridor in Hackney.

It forms part of the mayor of London’s ‘vision zero’ target of eliminating all serious injury and death from London’s roads by 2041. TfL has committed to reducing speed limits to 20mph on all 137 miles of the TfL road network by 2024.

In Enfield, there has been a long campaign from local politicians to tackle persistent speeding on the road. Average speed cameras were installed in February 2020 on a section of the dual carriageway between Southbury and Bullsmoor, but TfL has faced repeated calls to install more cameras further south where dangerous driving is still a common occurrence.

Lili Matson, TfL’s chief health, safety and environment officer, said that the new speed limits “will not only save lives” but will also “encourage Londoners in these communities to travel in more active and sustainable ways”.

She said: “We are determined to eliminate deaths and serious injuries from London’s roads in line with our vision zero goal. Ensuring the safety of Londoners and visitors is paramount, which is why we are working to lower speed limits on our road network in inner and outer London.”

Will Norman, London’s walking and cycling commissioner, says “lowering speed limits is one of the most important things we can do to reduce road danger”, but that “further investment in walking and cycling infrastructure is essential to making our roads safer”.

Last month, it was revealed that the Metropolitan Police would be increasing its efforts to catch speeding drivers by giving new powers to more than 500 police community support officers (PCSOs) and upping the number of patrols.

Chief Superintendent Simon Ovens, the Met’s top road policing officer, told a meeting of the London Assembly’s transport committee in January that TfL has “a clear position to get to a target of one million prosecutions a year for speeding”.

But Will Norman said TfL’s goal is “not to get to however many prosecutions, the goal is to not enforce at all” and that it “wants people to drive at 20mph and be safe and protect people”.

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