Motoring Alliance slams City of London’s 20mph speed on main roads

The City Corporation has been given the green light by Transport for London to bring in the restrictions on main arterial routes such as the A1210 between Aldgate and Tower Hill for traffic using Mansell Street, The Minories and Goodman’s Yard.

The new restrictions are part of a package that takes in all main key routes through the Square Mile.

The proposals approved by the Corporation last month also cover main roads which are controlled by TfL, such as the A10 along Bishopsgate and Norton Folgate from Liverpool Street, as well as Lower Thames Street from Tower Hill to The Embankment.

The Alliance of British Drivers has now formally objected to “the imposition of such a limit on these main arterial routes” and has made representations to the City Corporation.

“This is a direct attack on the use of motorized transport,” said Alliance director Roger Lawson.

“The narrow vote to approve these proposals was based on a deeply-flawed report which contained factual errors—before we were even aware they were considering the matter.

“This is the first time that it has become plain that TfL intends to support 20mph speed limits on London’s main arterial routes.”

The City Corporation believes the plan will reduce casualties by a tenth, while adding “only minutes to journey times and minimal impact on air qualities” in an area it says is more suited to public transport than motoring.

Its Planning & Transportation chairman Michael Welbank said: “Street usage has changed dramatically over the last 10 years, with the number of cyclists trebling. The 20mph limit is a step in reducing casualties.”

But forcing in a 20mph restriction doesn’t reduce injury accidents, the Motorists’ Alliance maintains. It gives a “false sense of safety” to pedestrians stepping out into the road—often unaware of traffic because of more use of mobile phones and other devices on the street.