Decision details

That the Cabinet Member for Environment and Highways agreed that the proposed borough-wide 20mph scheme be implemented on the basis of:

·       Final design and delivery on the street be subject to the ongoing changes to the City Council’s services as it manages the current COVID-19 crisis and when an agreed point in the future is reached where the delivery of new schemes can be re-activated again

·       The results of the recent public consultation that ended on 10 December 2019, where two thirds of the respondents supported the proposed scheme;

·       The supporting killed and serious injury casualty related collisions evidence which indicates that these have flatlined since 2015 and that many of these relate to collisions with ‘vulnerable’ pedestrians and cyclists, of which a borough-wide 20mph limit can greatly reduce the severity of such;

·       The supporting evidence of the 2017 trial of 39 20mph zones where demonstrable reductions in recorded speed were evident;

·       Government legislation that empowers the City Council to consider the implementation of a borough-wide 20mph limit across its Highway Network;

·       The proposed Communications Plan that is set out in section 9 and appendix 4 of this report which includes the additional items set out in paragraph 9.3, which in particular seeks approval for the placing of 20mph limit messaging on City Council contracted vehicles and the hiring of advertising space on the backs of selected London buses;

·       The proposed Highways Scheme of 20mph on-street signs that is set out in section 10 of this report; and

·       The proposed estimated £1,406,887 cost of implementing the combined Communications Plan and Highways Scheme programme in 2020/21, as set out in Section 11 of the report.

Reasons for Decision

1.              In 2018 there were three fatalities on Westminster’s combined highway network and a further 269 individuals were seriously injured. By reducing our Borough-wide speed limit from 30mph to 20mph will mean that a person is five times more likely to survive if it is in a collision with a motorised vehicle.             

2.        A 20mph Westminster speed limit will also encourage a calmer and more respectful street environment for all of us who live, work, study or visit our great city. The proposal will also seek to encourage more to walk and cycle which in turn will deliver wider health and wellbeing benefits across all age groups.

3.        66% of respondents to the recent public consultation of a borough-wide 20mph Limit were in support of the proposed scheme and a 20mph borough is also a key aim of our City for All ambition to develop a Greener and Cleaner Westminster.