December 2023
To download this blog as a pdf click here
Key points
- In London, 20mph speed enforcement has increased fivefold since 2018, when the London Vision Zero Action Plan was launched.
- 20mph speed limit offences are now the most common offence and account for over a third (37%) of all speed limit offences.
- In 2022, there were more 20mph speed limit offences than for all speed limits in 2018 (or 2019).
- Total speed enforcement has increased over threefold in the past four years.
- Action Vision Zero commends Transport for London (TfL) and the Metropolitan Police (MPS) for their dedication in enforcing 20mph limits and improving compliance.
London Speed Enforcement
| 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | Jan-Aug 2023 | Four year change | |
| 20mph | 38,979 | 59,903 | 58,944 | 104,259 | 232,742 | 186,929 | 497% |
| 30mph | 44,545 | 63,631 | 43,208 | 62,137 | 174,001 | 122,246 | 291% |
| 40mph | 29,561 | 40,262 | 131,517 | 161,492 | 141,901 | 124,611 | 380% |
| 50mph | 37,031 | 50,918 | 26,165 | 64,818 | 93,388 | 71,127 | 152% |
| 60mph | 3,949 | 3,117 | 875 | 112 | 61 | 17 | -98% |
| 70mph | 926 | 994 | 2,520 | 1,549 | 1,116 | 677 | 21% |
| Exceeded for vehicle type | 22 | 16 | 79 | 19 | 16 | 58 | -27% |
| Total | 155,013 | 218,841 | 263,308 | 394,386 | 643,225 | 505,665 | 315% |
| % 20mph | 25% | 27% | 22% | 26% | 36% | 37% | |
| % 20 & 30mph | 54% | 56% | 39% | 42% | 63% | 61% |
Source: TfL (2023), London Vision Zero Enforcement dashboard
Note: stats includes cancelled offences
Prioritising speed enforcement
The London Vision Zero Action Plan progress report included the action to enforce up to one million speed limit offences by 2024/25. This is to be achieved via:
- Investment in back office capacity. StarTraq back office software has enabled the MPS to nearly triple the number of offences they were processing and moved them from a manual paper-based system to a completely digital system.
- New camera technology. Purchase of five new Laser cam mobile cameras that combine a speed gun and a video camera. These were bought jointly by the police and TfL.
- Dedicated officers. Establishment of PCSO Speed Enforcement Team in January 2022; this team uses new speed detection equipment.
- Better borough liaison. Introduction of London Borough Speed Enforcement Referral Process in 2022 which allows council officers to request and receive speed enforcement at sites of community concern.
- Complimentary Community RoadWatch. Withadult and child volunteers, Community RoadWatch schemes operate in each borough and demonstrate local support for 20mph speed enforcement.
Not just enforcement
Speed limit change
- TfL has converted over half its road network to 20mph—so many cameras on 30mph roads are now on 20mph roads—AVZ believes this is the biggest reason for the increase in 20mph speed limit offences.
Vehicle design. Compliance with speed limits is also being reinforced through other measures.
- Intelligent Speed Assistance (ISA) in buses with TfL committed to having ISA in half of buses by 2024.
- ISA in the TfL vehicle fleet with TfL retrofitting 360 of its vehicles with ISA. Two year trial showed 62% reduction in speeding incidents, including 60% reduction on 20mph roads.
Road design
- TfL published the Achieving Lower Speeds toolkit to support boroughs.
- Lowering speed limits to 20mph was the first core ask of boroughs in The London Vision Zero Action Plan progress report (2021).
Importance of lower speeds
Speeding kills
- Speeding was identified as a factor in 49% of fatal collisions in London (2021).
- Pedestrians are much more likely to die when hit at 30mph than at 20mph.
Speeding intimidates
- TfL Cycling Action Plan 2 reported fear of speed as a key barrier to people cycling more.
- National Travel Attitudes Study Wave 5 (2021) reported 86% of those surveyed said slower driving speeds would encourage them to cycle more.
actionvisionzero.org 