The plan has been compiled by TfL working alongside key stakeholders, and looks to address the concerns and challenges faced by pedestrians across London, helping to turn the capital’s streets into a safer, more pleasant place for all. It outlines 31 key actions which will directly target the key factors in collisions and help further reduce pedestrian casualties across London.
The actions include: A new ‘gold standard’ for all new and upgraded pedestrian crossings will be developed, including pedestrian countdown timers; TfL will also expand the use of pedestrian countdown across London to more than 400 sites, which will be roughly 10 per cent of all pedestrian crossings in London; Producing the first London Pedestrian Design Guidance to plan and design for safe and comfortable walking environments; Carrying out ground-breaking trials of innovative collision detection software on London buses this summer; Trialling intelligent speed adaptation (ISA) on London buses, to understand the potential role of this technology on buses in promoting adherence to speed limits across the road network.
TfL has also launched an updated ‘Digital Speed Limit’ map for London, to help spur the development of the next generation of in-vehicle technologies and mobile phone apps for the road. Making such information freely available, and keeping it accurate, means existing services such as sat-navs and GPS, can provide drivers with the best information on the speed limit of the roads they are travelling on, giving them greater certainty, helping them to keep safe and avoid speeding penalties.
The speed limit map will also help to pave the way for a range of future driver assist trials in London including the forthcoming ISA trial, which relies on accurate speed limit data to alert bus drivers when speed limits are being exceeded.
Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, said: “This plan enshrines the raft of actions that are being taken to improve pedestrian safety in the capital. From new ‘gold standard’ crossings, expanded use of pedestrian countdown clocks and buses kitted out with the latest gizmos to reduce collisions, this is all about prioritising the safety of the most vulnerable road users - pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists. The publication of a speed limit map for London is also a great example of how the capital is leading the way in helping vehicle technology to move forward and encouraging innovation in the digital sphere.”
Leon Daniels, Managing Director of Surface Transport at TfL, said: “London has been at the forefront of many technical innovations and its right that we continue to find new ways of making our roads safer. Our new Pedestrian Safety Action Plan, which is a first for London and the UK, has been prepared with the advice and support of key stakeholders. We continue to passionately work to make our roads safer and see this new document as a big step forward.”
Tom Platt, London Manager at Living Streets said: “Pedestrian casualties rarely receive the attention they deserve despite representing more than a third of all those killed or seriously injured on London’s streets (838 in 2013 alone). We are pleased that the Mayor and TfL have acknowledged the need to take action and will continue to work closely with them to create a safer and more inviting London to walk for everyone.”
