TfL launches five-year plan to cut congestion and improve road safety
Transport for London (TfL) has launched a five-year plan to reduce congestion, while continuing to work with boroughs to invest in cycling infrastructure.
The plan, London on the Move, sets out a range of measures to enhance efficiency. First, it will deliver improvements to London’s FUSION traffic control system. The system will be updated to analyse a broader range of data when making decisions about signal timings and can be upgraded in future to take advantage of AI sensors. These changes could reduce delays by up to 14% and deliver £1 billion in benefits through reduced journey times.
Moreover, TfL will expand the use of Vivacity cameras across London to better understand how people and vehicles move through the city. Vivacity uses AI to distinguish between different modes of travel, including walking, cycling, wheelchair use, taxis and heavy goods vehicles. This will provide more inclusive data and support smarter decisions around issues such as pedestrian crossing times. TfL is working closely with boroughs on a data-sharing agreement, which will provide access to insights from more than 1,000 cameras, highlighting the importance of collaboration in shaping London’s future mobility.
When it comes to cycling, since 2019 there has been a 43% increase in cycling journeys. TfL will continue to work closely with boroughs across the capital to invest in walking and cycling infrastructure. Last year, TfL confirmed £87m of funding for London’s boroughs, ringfenced to boost investment in safer streets. Subject to funding in future years, over the next three years this investment could help to deliver lower speed limits, reduce the exposure of people walking and cycling to motor traffic, fix dangerous junctions and deliver 95km of new cycle routes across the capital as part of the continued expansion of London’s network of high-quality Cycleways.
Recent expansion through routes delivered by both boroughs and TfL means that 29% of Londoners now live within 400m of the strategic cycle network. The network has more than quadrupled in size since 2016, reaching more than 431km in length.
“The new London on the Move plan marks a major step forward in how we manage London’s streets. By harnessing data, technology and the benefits of new infrastructure, our 2030 vision will deliver a better and safer street network that is more suited to the needs of Londoners today and tomorrow,” said Carl Eddleston, TfL’s Director of Streets and Network Operations.
