City Cyclists' legal challenge revives City of London 20mph plans

Campaigners make their case outside the High Court, including Brigitte Choudry (founder of RoadPeace), second left, Ralph Smyth (CC Co-ordinator), third from left, Tom Bogdanowicz (Campaigns officer, LCC), Jenny Jones (Green MLA & Road Safety Ambassador) centre

City Cyclists forced the Corporation of London to revive plans for a 20mph (32km/h) zone in most of the Square Mile (1). The Corporation backed down minutes before the High Court hearing was due to commence on Monday 6 September and agreed to reconsider a 20mph zone, possibly as early as October.

The judge, Mr Justice Collins, commenting on the last minute settlement, said: "It doesn't altogether surprise me". It was a humiliating climb-down for the richest local authority in Europe and home of the world's leading financial centre.

The case had won high profile support of national groups including Transport 2000, RoadPeace and the Royal National Institute of the Blind. The Co-ordinator of City Cyclists, Ralph Smyth, knew two cyclists who had died in central London recently, and used this to help give himself the necessary legal interest to bring the judicial review under court rules. He commented:

"We are all delighted by the result: the campaign for 20mph zones in central London is now growing and attracting support from a wide range of people including disabled people, environmentalists and road safety campaigners."

The City has the worst fatality rate for cyclists anywhere in the UK (2) and earlier this summer, the death of Vicki McCreery on Blackfriars Bridge highlighted the problems nationally. If successful, the case might lead not just to most of the City becoming a 20mph zone but also other areas of central London such as Oxford Street and Covent Garden.

The Corporation had originally proposed a 20mph zone to go in during 2005 but this was abandoned for the rather bizarre reason that it would result in "a plethora of signs", a view based on a legal error it later was forced to admit to.

Cyclists and campaigners, including Cynthia Barlow whose daughter was killed cycling along London Wall in 2000 ( more info, demonstrated outside the Royal Courts of Justice before the hearing with placards saying "20 now!" and demanding safe streets.

Among them was Green Party Member of the London Assembly and London's Road Safety Ambassador, Jenny Jones, who on the same day tabled a formal question to Mayor Livingstone whether he will push the Corporation to introduce a 20mph limit. She said:

"20mph zones are appearing all over London except in the centre where more people walk and cycle, and where the safety problems are the worst. With most of the traffic already unable to travel above 20mph other than for short bursts between queuing at traffic lights, this makes no sense at all."

The Corporation has consistently failed to provide for cyclists by not implementing London Cycle Network routes within its borders for four years in a row. As a result many cycle routes simply stop at its boundary.

Notes

(1) The Corporation received £170,000 following a successful bid to Transport for London for a 20mph zone based on the Traffic & Environment Zone ('Ring of Steel' security cordon) which covers just over half of the Square Mile but backed down in March 2004.

(2) The City has about a tenth of all of London's cyclist fatalities every year - about 2 out of 20 - while only making up a thousandth of the capital's area. According to Transport for London, the capital has by far the worst road safety record in the UK.

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  The next step is to build an alliance to make sure that when the 20mph decision is reconsidered, it is approved. In any event the first step will be for an evaluation report to be commissioned. Only once that report is completed, will the actual vote on a 20mph proceed. If you can help gain support from local or national organisations or would like to help out with a petition etc. please contact City Cyclists.

  CLICK HERE for the page on the 20mph campaign.