London Mayor Faces Backlash Over Expensive Campaign
London Mayor Sadiq Khan has come under fire for allocating a hefty £859,000 budget for advertising the 20mph speed limit zones in London. This move, aimed at promoting the new speed limits around Transport for London’s (TfL) areas, has drawn significant criticism for its substantial expenditure.
Growing Criticism from Political Figures
Conservative mayoral candidate Susan Hall has accused Khan of misusing taxpayers’ money on self-promotional advertisements. She criticised the campaign as a wasteful endeavor that hampers main road traffic and appears to be geared towards benefiting Khan’s election campaign. Hall pledged to prioritise Londoners’ interests and remove the 20mph limits on major routes like Finchley Road if elected.
Kieran Terry, a Conservative Party Candidate for the London Assembly, echoed similar concerns. He highlighted the recent 9.7% hike in council tax by Khan and questioned the justification for such a high budget on a single campaign, accusing it of being propaganda.
The Expansion of 20mph Zones
Despite the criticism, TfL has continued its plan to lower speed limits to 20 mph across an additional 65km of London roads this year. This expansion is the largest yet and is part of a broader initiative to reduce speed limits across 140km of London roads. The areas covered include seven London boroughs and aim to enhance road safety.
TfL’s Vision Zero Plan
TfL maintains that the lower speed limits are crucial to the Mayor’s Vision Zero plan, which seeks to eliminate deaths and serious injuries on London’s transport network. However, critics like Ian Taylor from the Alliance of British Drivers argue that the measures are excessive and contribute to a perceived war on motorists. Concerns have also been raised about the potential for cycles and scooters to travel at speeds comparable to or faster than cars in these zones, potentially leading to new safety issues. Story Source
