London Doubles Down on Vehicle Restrictions

"The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, and Transport for London (TfL) have today announced plans to transform parts of central London into one of the largest car-free zones in any capital city in the world," according to a press release front he mayor's office. 

According to the press release, the plan has a dual benefit: making it easier to maintain social distance, and improving the air quality in the city. 

As for the physical changes proposed by the mayor, the press release describes several tiers of vehicle restrictions and pedestrian and bike priority:

Some streets will be converted to walking and cycling only, with others restricted to all traffic apart from buses, as part of the Mayor’s latest bold Streetspace measures. Streets between London Bridge and Shoreditch, Euston and Waterloo and Old Street and Holborn may be limited to buses, pedestrians and cyclists to help boost safe and sustainable travel as our city starts to gradually emerge from national Covid-19 restrictions. Access for emergency services and disabled people will be maintained, but deliveries on some streets may need to be made outside of congestion charging hours.

As noted in the press release, the car-free planning in response to the public health crisis of the coronavirus also reinstates the city's congestion charge, low emissions zone, and ultra low emissions zone programs.