Greenwich Council has announced plans to introduce a borough-wide 20mph speed limit, a move it says will “save lives and create safer, more welcoming streets.” The South East London authority confirmed the decision, citing clear road safety benefits and aiming to implement the changes later this year.
Current Coverage and Rationale
The council noted that 72 per cent of Greenwich roads already operate under a 20mph limit. Extending this to a blanket limit across all council-managed roads would “make it easier for drivers to understand and follow,” according to the authority. The proposal aligns Greenwich with other London boroughs that have adopted default 20mph limits.
Cllr Calum O’Byrne Mulligan, Greenwich’s Cabinet Member for Transport, Climate Change, Waste and Streets, stated: “We are proposing to align with other London boroughs with a 20mph default speed limit on council-managed roads, improving safety and consistency. Most accidents in the borough happen on our faster moving roads, where accidents are more likely to have serious consequences, and fatalities are known to be five times higher for accidents at 30mph than those at 20mph. Safer speeds are a simple but powerful way to make our roads safer and more welcoming for everyone in Greenwich.”
Safety Data and Expected Impact
Transport for London (TfL) data shows that 939 people were killed or seriously injured on Greenwich roads over the last decade. Approximately 77 per cent of those casualties occurred on streets with speed limits of 30mph or above. The council believes the borough-wide limit will reduce both the number and severity of collisions, enhance safety for pedestrians and cyclists, and improve neighbourhoods for residents.
Officials also argue that traffic flows more smoothly at 20mph, and that car users are less likely to be injured on such roads compared to 30mph streets. The move is expected to benefit all road users, including drivers.
Exemptions and Next Steps
Certain roads, including TfL-managed routes such as the A2, A206, A102, and other strategic corridors, will remain at their current speed limits, as they fall outside council jurisdiction. No final decision has been made yet; the council is progressing towards a statutory consultation on a proposed Traffic Management Order (TMO).
Greenwich residents can submit feedback by emailing the council’s Traffic Team at traffic.team@royalgreenwich.gov.uk or writing to Traffic Team, Floor 3, The Woolwich Centre, 35 Wellington Street, London, SE18 6HQ, quoting TMO reference T9/26. Kensington and Chelsea, and the City of Westminster, already have blanket 20mph limits on all council-managed roads, setting a precedent for this initiative.
