Compelling new TfL research that the number of people killed and seriously injured on borough roads in London reduced by 34 per cent following the implementation of the 20mph speed limit between 1989 and 2013. The report, the first of its scale in London, analyses more than 150 20mph schemes between 1989 and 2013, examining the three-year periods surrounding the implementation of each 20mph scheme.

The evidence in this new report will be instrumental in TfL’s work toward achieving the Mayor's Vision Zero goal to eliminate death and serious injury? from London's transport network and to enable more walking and cycling in the capital.

TfL carried out this new extensive analysis to fully understand the impact of road safety measures across the city over a longer time span. The report shows that, with the exception of motorcycle fatalities, which did not change, 20mph schemes led to fewer fatalities and less severe injuries across every mode of travel.

The report shows that 20mph schemes significantly reduced the number of deaths and serious injury, including:

•   A 40 per cent reduction in the number of people killed (from 15 to 9), compared against the background trend of 7 per cent fewer fatalities across borough roads
•  A 34 per cent reduction in the number of people killed or seriously injured (from 395 to 260), compared against the background trend of a 15 per cent fall in people killed or seriously injured across borough roads
•  A 75 per cent reduction in the number of children killed (from 4 to 1), compared with no change across the control group. Additionally, a 50% reduction in children’s casualties (from 517 to 280), against the background trend within the control group of 20%.
•  A 35 per cent reduction in collisions and 36 per cent reduction in casualties on borough roads, against a background trend of 12 per cent fewer collisions and casualties across all borough roads 

The report acknowledges other road safety improvement measures implemented between 1989-2013 and recognises that the implementation of 20mph schemes on borough roads is not the sole cause of improved road safety in this time. 

For this reason, the report compares against the background trend seen across all borough roads in this period to provide compelling evidence that 20mph schemes reduce the number of casualties regardless of all other road improvement.

The report demonstrates the positive impact of slower speeds on safety and supports the importance of similar measures in future plans to further improve safety in the capital. London boroughs have made excellent progress reducing the default speed limit on their roads to 20mph, with 21 out of 33 boroughs now having a default 20mph speed limit. TfL expects this number to grow in light of the positive impact these schemes are having on collisions. 

TfL also provides sustained support to London Boroughs though the £87.6m Local Implementation Planning (LIP) funding that was confirmed for 2025-26, which works towards introduction of further 20mph zones and other road safety measures.  

London has been leading the way in implementing lower speed limits to cut death and injury on its roads. Since 2018, TfL has introduced more than 264km of 20mph speed limits, and over half of London's roads now have 20mph speed limits. Not only do 20mph schemes reduce the number of fatalities and casualties on the road, they also support more people to walk, wheel and cycle and reduce noise pollution, without impacting air quality or journey times.

TfL is committed to lowering speed limits across London, with plans to continue to roll out 20mph on its road network next year. TfL will also be publishing further research on the impact of 20mph schemes across London.

Speed is the single most important factor in the likelihood and severity of a collision, with collision data showing that the faster a vehicle is travelling, the more likely a collision will occur and the more severe any injury resulting from the collision will be. In 2023, speed was a contributory factor in around half of fatal collisions and over a third of all injury collisions in London.

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The cost of operating a taxi in Liverpool is poised to increase for the first time in over a decade, as the city council moves to raise licensing fees and implement tighter restrictions on vehicle advertisements. 

The proposed changes come amidst concerns over a significant number of private hire licences being granted to drivers with Liverpool postcodes by Wolverhampton Council.

Currently, a single-year hackney carriage or private hire driver's licence in Liverpool costs £60, or £150 for three years. The city council is now proposing to increase these fees to £75 for a year and £180 for three years. 

According to committee documents, a "full calculation exercise" was conducted, and the proposed increase is considered minimal, with officials stating it will have "very little impact on licence holders and customers." 

The report added that the figures are "comparable with core cities so it is highly unlikely that many private hire drivers and licence holders will be motivated to license themselves elsewhere."

The move also addresses a growing trend revealed by a Freedom of Information request to Wolverhampton City Council, which disclosed that in 2024 alone, 479 private hire driver licences and 695 private hire vehicle licences were issued to applicants with Liverpool postcodes. These vehicles are now a common sight when booking journeys in Merseyside through apps such as Uber.

In recent years, Liverpool has seen a decrease of 131 hackney carriage drivers, while the number of private hire drivers has surged by an additional 1,063. Since 2021, there has been a 92% increase in new private hire operators across Liverpool, totalling 77.

In addition to fee hikes, committee members will be asked to approve new rules regarding vehicle advertising. While commercial advertising will generally be permitted, new conditions will prohibit the promotion of e-cigarettes and gambling.

These proposals will be considered by the general purposes licensing committee next week. If approved, they will mark the first increase in taxi licensing fees in Liverpool since 2011.

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A man has been sentenced to 11 years in prison for a terrifying knife-point robbery of a taxi driver and a separate assault on an elderly man in St Ives. 

Adam McDonnell, 30, of no fixed address, received the sentence at Cambridge Crown Court on May 14, along with an extended five-year licence period.

The court heard details of a harrowing incident on December 13, when McDonnell attacked a 53-year-old taxi driver parked in London Road, St Ives, just before 7am. McDonnell held a knife to the driver's throat, demanding money. 

He then forced the driver into the rear of the taxi, stole his mobile phone and cigarettes, and again threatened him with the knife while demanding more cash. As the victim raised his hands to protect himself, McDonnell began slashing his hands.

The quick-thinking driver managed to tell McDonnell there was money in the boot. When McDonnell exited the vehicle to look, the driver locked himself inside. Enraged, McDonnell smashed the car windows to regain entry and ultimately stole £250. 

The driver then escaped and ran to a nearby house for help. Police later located McDonnell hiding in the loft of a nearby home, still wearing his blood-splattered clothes.

In a separate incident on September 3, McDonnell, wearing a balaclava, assaulted an 85-year-old man sitting on a bench in Berman Park, St Ives. He punched the man in the face and stole his drone. McDonnell was later arrested in the town centre with the stolen drone in his backpack.

Detective Constable Kieran Wickens, who investigated the cases, stated: "The taxi driver genuinely feared he was going to be stabbed to death in his taxi."

McDonnell pleaded guilty to robbery and possession of a knife in a public place. A charge of grievous bodily harm with intent will lie on file. Police described both victims as having a "terrifying experience" at McDonnell's hands.

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