Sir Sadiq Khan has addressed mounting concerns about SUVs and e-bike rules across London, which have been impacting pedestrians.
During a recent Mayor's Question Time session at the London Assembly, the Mayor faced questions about the dangers posed by larger vehicles and the need for better regulation of e-bikes across the capital.
During the meeting, Khan acknowledged the complexities surrounding both issues while outlining his administration's approach to improving road safety.
The discussion comes as London continues to grapple with road safety challenges, with the mayor's Vision Zero strategy aiming to eliminate all deaths and serious injuries from London's transport network by 2041.
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The Mayor said his Vision Zero plan hoped to address concerns about larger vehicles in London
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The questioning highlighted growing public concern about vehicle size and micro-mobility regulation in the capital, particularly its impact on pedestrians.
Assembly Member Elly Baker raised specific concerns about "car spreading" and the impact of larger vehicles on London's streets.
"Is this something you're concerned about, and is this something you're looking at being able to address in the updated action?" Baker asked.
Khan confirmed that "TfL will provide advice to respond to the issues raised by the Member, which we appreciate," noting that other cities are taking steps to address similar concerns.
During Question Time with the London Mayor, Sadiq Khan acknowledged the issues car spreading has in the capital
LONDON ASSEMBLY
The Assembly supported Baker's motion addressing car spreading impacts last month, with particular focus on the dangers larger vehicles pose in collisions. Baker pressed the Mayor on whether the Vision Zero action plan's second iteration would tackle this issue.
Currently, the Vision Zero action plan details that while car occupant fatalities halved in 2016, larger vehicles remain disproportionately dangerous.
Heavy Goods Vehicles and buses were found to be particularly likely to result in fatalities when involved in collisions with pedestrians, despite representing a smaller proportion of overall traffic.
Khan indicated that TfL's response would be evidence-based and that the second iteration of the Vision Zero plan would examine "all the issues we can, all the steps we can take to try, you know, make our roads safer".
"Subject to what that response is. Obviously the second iteration of the Vision Zero look at all the issues we can, all the steps we can take to try, you know, make our roads safer, but I think the best thing is to share our response with the Member in due course, to see if our primary advice still stands,[then we can take it from there," the Mayor said.
The Vision Zero action plan acknowledged that people killed or seriously injured when travelling by foot, bicycle, and motorcycle now account for 80 per cent of all deaths and serious injuries on London's roads.
The Mayor also addressed concerns about e-bike regulation during the session. Baker highlighted how the Devolution Bill, published this week, includes provisions for Mayors to regulate micro mobility markets.
"In your manifesto last year, you highlighted the importance of e-bikes and wider micro mobility regulations and committed to lobbying for powers to be able to regulate that," Baker said.
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Experts have called for a limit on the number of larger vehicles in London
GETTYKhan responded that he had been lobbying on the issue since 2017 without success from the previous Government. "I want to give credit to Angela Rayner, the Prime Minister, who has moved swiftly to address this issue," he said.
Khan emphasised that his approach to road safety was not anti-motorists, recognising that some people need to drive for essential purposes.
"This has not been about being anti-car. This is not saying you can't drive, and you shouldn't drive. It's recognising that people have the worst injuries and sometimes lose their lives because of, you know, collisions with cars," he explained.
He stressed the importance of freeing up road space for those who genuinely need it while encouraging walking, cycling and public transport use where possible.