20mph limit for the streets of Westminster

After careful planning and consultation, Westminster City Council has this week begun a roll-out of a city-wide 20mph limit, providing safer, greener, and cleaner streets across the heart of London. 

As London begins to open up once again and our streets become busier, careful attention is being paid to Westminster’s famous highways to ensure that they are as safe as possible for pedestrians and road users. As part of these essential safety improvements, and the council’s ongoing commitment to tackling road traffic pollution, traffic speeds across the entire city are now being limited to 20mph.

On Monday 13 July, the council’s highways teams began the installation of signage across the city to highlight the new safer speed limits. The process will take place over the summer, with the new limit being introduced on a street by street basis. 

Limiting speeds will reduce the severity of accidents and make it safer to travel on foot or by cycle, helping to improve public space and to encourage healthier, more active lifestyles. 

Cllr Andrew Smith, Cabinet Member for Highways & Environment:

“Reducing our city-wide speed limit is a clear step forward in our efforts to make Westminster a hub of safe and sustainable transport, not only saving lives but creating a calmer and more inviting street environment for those who visit our city. 

“As we begin to see our streets come back to life again this summer, it’s essential that we roll out this change carefully and effectively as we continue to help improve road safety and encourage the use of greener and healthier modes of transport.”

As well as securing safety for pedestrians and road users, this change is also part of the council’s commitment to reducing air pollution, alongside ongoing plans to improve air quality around schools, create low emissions neighbourhoods, enhance green space and much more.

The decision to implement the new limit follows a public consultation held in 2019, with over two-thirds of responses showing support for the changes.

• The 20mph speed limit in Westminster will apply to all roads apart from TfL red routes and those in the Royal Parks.
• New signage will be installed across the city starting July 13th on a street by street basis, until all roads in Westminster Council’s jurisdiction are completed.  
• Consultation on the 20mph proposal took place between 17 September 2019 and 10 December 2019. 66% of respondents to the consultation were in support of the proposed scheme. Further details on the consultation responses and the Cabinet Member’s decision can be found at https://bit.ly/20mphwcc
• 20mph speeds limits have already been introduced around 39 schools in the city - a move supported by 73% of residents surveyed.