Transport for London (TfL) has published annual casualty statistics that show the number of people killed or seriously injured on London’s roads in 2023 fell by 6%, from 3,974 to 3,709, the lowest level on record outside of the pandemic affected years.
This marks important progress towards the Mayor’s Vision Zero goal of eliminating death and serious injury from London’s streets by 2041. The number of people killed and seriously injured on London’s roads has also reduced overall by 24% against the 2010-2014 baseline.
However, the fact is that 95 people were killed on London’s roads, and collective action is still needed, and TfL remains committed to working closely with London’s boroughs, the police and other partners to carry out the work needed to achieve this goal.
People walking, cycling and motorcycling continue to be most at risk, with 2,981 people killed or seriously injured, making up 80% of all people killed or seriously injured in 2023. The number of people killed while cycling has fallen by 40% against the 2010-14 baseline, from 13 to eight. Data shows that cycling journeys have continued to increase with the number of daily cycle journeys increasing to 1.26 million in 2023, up by 6.3% since 2022 from 1.18 million, suggesting that cycling trips have become safer overall. Concerns around safety remain one of the biggest barriers to cycling. To continue to reduce risk and increase the number of people who choose to cycle, there is a need to continue to introduce safe, segregated cycling infrastructure, lower speeds and road safety initiatives.
In 2023, there were 252 people seriously injured in collisions involving a TfL bus, including passengers, and six people killed, which represents a 43% reduction in bus-involved fatalities from the 2010-2014 baseline. While this progress is good, more is required, and TfL is committed to improving bus safety. TfL continues to deliver its Bus Safety Programme, with all new buses joining the London bus fleet currently compliant with either the 2019 or 2021 Bus Safety Standard. As part of this, TfL has fitted 3,795 buses with Intelligent Speed Assistance, which ensures buses comply with the speed limit. TfL has also fitted 1,251 buses with an acoustic vehicle alerting system (AVAS), which alerts other road users to the presence of quieter electric buses and 1,297 buses have been fitted with a camera monitoring system that replaces wing mirrors to reduce blind spots and improve the driver’s field of vision.
Cars continued to be the main vehicle type involved in collisions in 2023 and are involved in 68% of all casualties on London’s roads. Speeding remains one of the biggest risks to road users, with around half of the 2023 fatal collisions in London reporting speed as a contributory factor. TfL continues to work on lowering speeds across London, and last year lowered the speed limit on selected roads in 14 boroughs, exceeding its target to lower the speed limit on 140km of roads by March 2024. There are 264km of TfL roads now subject to a 20mph speed limit. TfL is also working closely with the police to increase their capacity to take enforcement action against drivers and riders who speed, given the risk and harm it causes. The Met is currently on target to be able to take action on a million speeding offences by the end of 24/25. In 2023/24, more than 800,000 speeding offences were enforced.
TfL is working in partnership with the boroughs, police and other stakeholders to directly tackle road danger and continues to work on a number of major programmes to make London’s roads and the vehicles using them safer. TfL’s world-first Direct Vision Standard, which reduces lethal blind spots on lorries, is already helping to save lives and prevent life-changing injuries. From October 2024, TfL will be enhancing DVS requirements with all HGVs over 12 tonnes required to have a three-star rating or fit Progressive Safe System measures to operate in Greater London. TfL has also continued to work on its Safer Junctions programme to make life-saving changes at some of the capital’s most dangerous and intimidating junctions. TfL has so far completed work at 45 junctions across London as part of the programme, with works at Battersea Bridge and Lambeth Bridge due to start later this year.
Lilli Matson, TfL’s Chief Safety, Health and Environment Officer said:
“It’s encouraging to see that real progress is being made towards our Vision Zero goal of eliminating death and serious injury from the transport network. Last year saw the lowest number of road deaths in London on record, with the exception of 2021, which was heavily impacted by Covid restrictions.
“However, the latest casualty stats show that it is more important than ever to double down on our Vision Zero goal. Protecting everyone on the road, particularly people walking, cycling and motorcycling, is a priority for us and our partners and we will continue to incorporate our Vision Zero strategy into every decision we make. Without safe streets we know that people won’t choose the most healthy and sustainable modes of transport. We are determined to make London a greener, more sustainable and safer city, and Vision Zero is an essential part of building a better London for everyone.”
The Mayor of London is committed to creating a fairer, more equal and integrated city as set out in the Healthy Streets approach within The Mayor’s Transport Strategy.
The Mayor of London’s 2018 Action Plan for road safety and 2022 Progress Report set out measurable objectives that TfL, the boroughs, the Met and other partner organisations have been working to deliver. The time-bound actions in these plans have a deadline of the end of 2024 for completion, and the Mayor’s office will ensure that these organisations continue to work together to achieve new, measurable actions by 2030.
Read more about the Mayor’s Transport Strategy at https://tfl.gov.uk/corporate/about-tfl/the-mayors-transport-strategy