Islington was named borough of the year at the London Transport Awards last week, a vote of confidence in the council’s decision to introduce a blanket 20mph speed limit due to come into force in the next month.
Judges commended improvements to streets in major centres such as Angel and Holloway Road, as well as the upgraded conditions for cyclists.
Last year Islington became the first borough in London to legislate for a blanket 20mph speed limit across all streets managed by the council.
Judges at the awards explained their decision in the evening’s programme: “Last year 100 people were killed or seriously injured on Islington’s main roads. The borough hopes the decision will change driving culture.
“With 20mph zones in particular, Islington demonstrates it is prepared to be bold and to go out on a limb.”
Kevin O’Leary, Islington Council’s director of environment and regeneration, said: “We want to make Islington safer for all, and that’s why we’re bringing in a 20mph limit on our roads.
“Behind the scenes a huge amount of work has gone into making this happen, and it’s fantastic to get this recognition.”
However, before the measures were passed police confirmed they do not have the resources to enforce the limit and road safety campaigners raised concerns some motorists are still going at speeds of up to 40mph on roads where the limits were already in force.
Nevertheless, Caroline Russell, the chair of the Islington branch of road safety campaigning group Living Streets, welcomed the award. She said: “I think it’s absolutely deserved. What Islington council officers have done is to take us strategically through the process to where we can have 20mph speed limits on our main roads.”
“I think it’s really regrettable that police don’t have the resources to enforce speed limits but I would prefer to live with an unenforced 20mph [limit] rather than an unenforced 30mph [limit].”
Former Islington councillor for the Green Party, Katie Dawson, who first suggested the measure to other local politicians said: “It’s really worth remembering than when Green Party took this to the council it was opposed by all political parties. It’s really been down to the hard work of Islington residents and cycling groups who have got this to public prominence.”
The awards took place last Friday in a ceremony at the Park Plaza Riverbank Hotel hosted by BBC presenter Jeremy Vine. It was organised by the Transport Times and this year’s chief judge was the magazine’s publisher, Professor David Begg.
