Pedestrians are prioritised in a bold new plan for the Square Mile.
The City of London Corporation wants to see the speed limit drop to 15mph on all roads within the Square Mile.
That would make it the first region in the UK to adopt such a limit, 5mph slower than Mayor Sadiq Khan's proposal for wider central London. The vision was announced at the London Walking and Cycling Conference.
According to the City's press office:
The new Strategy will prioritise the needs of people walking when delivering changes to streets, and make the most efficient use of street space by working to reduce motor traffic by 25% by 2030, and by 50% by 2044.
If those targets sound ambitious, it should be noted that motor traffic has halved here in the past 20 years.
A sneery critic might counter that few vehicles ever get above 15mph anyway, thanks to constant gridlock. One only has to try crossing Holborn Circus, Upper Thames Street, London Bridge or Beech Street to dispel that myth. Or visit any road at a weekend.
Better for cyclists
The City will also improve its provision for cycling, 'launching a new cycling network and improving the quality and accessibility of cycle hire facilities'. The latter will include yet further flavours of dockless cycle, known as Freebike (electric bikes) and Beryl. No details have yet been released on this proposed cycling network.
The proposal has been agreed by the City of London Corporation’s most senior decision-making body, the Court of Common Council, but must also pass the scrutiny of the Government... assuming we still have one.