Speed limits ‘not making buses slower’

Speed limits of 20 mph (32 kph) on some roads in the capital are not responsible for slower buses, the Mayor of London has claimed.

Sir Sadiq Khan said while there was ‘a perception of declining bus speeds following returning traffic after the COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] period’, in reality, buses were about as slow as they were five years ago.

In a written question, the leader of City Hall Conservatives, Neil Garratt, said there was ‘clear evidence’ that bus speeds were declining across London, and asked what work had been done to determine whether lowering speed limits was a possible factor.

The Mayor said the average bus speed in the capital in 2019 – 20 was 9.29 mph (14.95 kph) and in 2023 – 24 it was 9.27 mph (14.92 kph).