Mayor of London ‘welcomes’ City of London’s reduced speed limit plans and feedback on taxi access
The Mayor of London said he ‘welcomes feedback’ relating to taxi access around the controversial Bishopsgate bus gate.
The Mayor, Sadiq Khan, also said he welcomed proposals made by the City of London to further reduce the speeds of motorists.
The City of London were aiming to introduce a blanket speed limit of 15mph across the Square Mile in order to save lives and reduce air pollution.
In the planning document dating back to October 2021, Bruce McVean, acting assistant director of transportation at the City of London Corporation, stated his intention to seek permission for the speed limit change from government’s transport minister, Grant Shapps.
The document read: “A request for in principle support for a 15mph speed limit will shortly be submitted to the Secretary of State for Transport.
“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.”
Assembly Member Keith Prince asked the Mayor of London via a written Mayor’s Question: “Given the proposed reduction in the speed limit across the City of London and the safety attributes that it may bring across the board, will the Mayor either remove the Bishopsgate Streetspace restrictions or – at the very least – allow taxis to now use that stretch of road during restricted hours?”
Sadiq Khan, Mayor of London, replied: “I welcome proposals to reduce speeds across London in line with my Vision Zero Action Plan – helping to reduce both the frequency and severity of collisions, and protect vulnerable road users. Indeed, the Bishopsgate corridor is already subject to a 20mph speed limit.
“The current, experimental scheme on the corridor seeks to improve conditions for pedestrians, cyclists and bus passengers by reducing through traffic during its operational hours and allowing highway space to be better utilised by these modes. Transport for London continues to welcome feedback - including points related to taxi access - to inform its future plans.”
