Fall in London road deaths

The number of people killed on London’s roads last year was the second lowest on record Noah Vickers, local reporter for Democracy

The number of people killed on London’s roads last year was the second lowest on record, according to the latest figures.

Deaths have dropped from 102 last year to 95 this year.

The lowest figure was seen in 2021, when 75 deaths were recorded – although that year was affected by lower traffic volumes during the Covid lockdown.

Sadiq Khan’s Commissioner for Walking and Cycling, Will Norman, said: “Every death or serious injury on our streets is devastating. We are making significant progress, but we know there is more to do to remove death and serious injury from London’s roads.

“The mayor is committed to making it safer and easier for people to walk and bike in our city, which is why we’re expanding our Safer Speed ​​program, tightening the direct safety standard for cars, and working with neighborhoods to provide a high quality. cycle routes as we work to build a greener and safer London for everyone.”

According to Transport for London (TfL), the number of people killed while cycling has fallen by 40% from its “baseline” of 2010-14, from 13 to eight.

People walking, cycling and motorcycling continue to be the most at-risk road users, with 2,981 of them killed or seriously injured last year, accounting for 80% of the total.

Commenting on the figures, Tory London Assembly member Keith Prince said serious injuries on London’s roads appear to be around 50% higher than they were before Khan took over as mayor in 2016.

But TfL explained that the national definition of “seriously injured” was changed by the government in 2017. This meant that injuries previously classified as “minor” were classified as “severe” from that year.

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Around 3,614 people were seriously injured on London’s roads in 2023, down from 3,859 in 2022. TfL pointed out that under the more recent definition of ‘seriously injured’, this year was the lowest on record outside the affected years pandemic.

About 55% of this year’s deaths and serious injuries occurred on roads with a speed limit of 20 mph or less.

Prince said: “The fact that over half of these incidents occurred on roads with speed limits of 20mph or less shows that simply reducing speed limits on major roads is not making a difference.

“In fact, some bus drivers have suggested that these limits force them to rush more because their timetables are not updated with longer times to reflect the lower speed limits.”

TfL’s safety committee was told last September that 51% of all roads in the capital now have a 20mph limit.

Research from Edinburgh Napier University last year shows that a person is five times more likely to die if hit by a car traveling at 30mph compared to 20mph. Cutting speed limits on some of London’s roads to 20mph is part of the Mayor’s ‘Vision Zero’ strategy, which aims to see no one killed or seriously injured on the capital’s roads by 2041.

Nick Simmons, CEO of the charity RoadPeace said: “It is encouraging to learn that there has been a slight decrease in road deaths and serious injuries in London in 2023, but we are still deeply saddened by the tragic and unacceptable loss of life and the situation extreme. the suffering caused by the collisions in the capital.

“The ripple effect of road accidents goes far beyond statistics; it devastates families and destroys communities.

“So much more needs to be done to achieve Vision Zero and road users must all take responsibility, no matter how they use London’s roads.

“We need collective action and commitment from everyone – drivers, cyclists, pedestrians and policy makers – to see a significant reduction in road deaths and serious injuries and create safer streets for all.”

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