20mph signs have been erected on the A2 between Elephant & Castle and Deptford/Blackheath, and on the A20 between New Cross/Lewisham Way and Lee Green/Eltham Road.
Request ID: FOI-3689-2324 Date published: 02 February 2024
You asked
Dear FOI,
Dear TfL Customer Services,
I note that in recent months, very many 20mph signs have been erected on the A2 between Elephant & Castle and Deptford/Blackheath, and on the A20 between New Cross/Lewisham Way and Lee Green/Eltham Road.
Please can you explain why there are very few 20mph signs and road markings on the A21 between Lewisham and Catford?
Under the Freedom of Information Act, please explain why no regular 20mph signs exist on the A21 between Lewisham/Molesworth Street and Ladywell/Catford, except at or near the speed camera near Lewisham Hospital? For safety reasons, there should be such signage regularly placed along the whole route.
This matter was raised with you (TfL) well over a year ago, and assurances were made by your organisation to bring the road into line with other main roads with a maximum speed limit of 20mph, so why has this one (the A21) still not been done?
I'd appreciate a detailed response as to why this has not been done on the A21, and what TfL's thinking is behind this strange anomaly on this road compared to other recent main roads in SE London that have had a plethora of 20mph signs and flags placed along the road!
In addition, on travelling to and from Ladywell Village to/from the A21, why are there still 30mph signs showing that apply to barely 50 yards of the road, and then reverts back to 20mph? A complete absurdity, given that the whole area is now 20mph maximum!
Grateful for a full and detailed response to all my points raised above, and your specific actions to remedy both the lack of 20mph signs on the A21, and the absurd 30mph signs between Ladwell Village and the A21, which apply, as said for barely 50 yards!
Many thanks,
Kind regards,
We answered
TfL Ref: FOI-3689-2324
Thank you for your request received by Transport for London (TfL) on15 January 2024 asking for information about 20 mph and 30 mph road signage.
TfL’s Lowering Speed Limits programme was launched in July 2018 as part of our Vision Zero Action Plan and set a target to introduce a new 20mph speed limit in central London by May 2020 and on a further 140km of TfL roads by May 2024.
Whilst, in recent months, TfL has expanded its 20mph network to over 65km of TfL roads in London, including roads in the London Borough of Lewisham, the 20mph speed limit on the A21 between Lewisham and Catford was introduced alongside measures installed during the pandemic to promote social distancing and encourage more active travel. On this occasion, the proposals did not align with TfL’s rigorous signing strategy which apply for our 20mph roads.
Thank you for raising this matter. We have passed this on to the relevant team who will work to increase the frequency of 20mph signs and carriageway roundels to ensure that all road users are aware of the safer speed limit as a matter of urgency. As part of this, they will also work with the London Borough of Lewisham to remove the 30mph signing and carriageway roundels by the junction with Wearside Road.
Please see the attached information sheet for details of your right to appeal.
Yours sincerely,
Mary Abidakun FOI Case Officer FOI Case Management Team General Counsel Transport for London
