Traffic-calmed zones in London have reduced the number of deaths and injuries by more than a third, a study shows

Low-traffic neighbourhoods (LTNs) have reduced the number of road injuries and fatalities within their boundaries by more than a third, without any clear negative impact on safety on surrounding roads, a study has shown.

Based on a comparison of more than ten years of traffic accident statistics between 113 low-traffic neighbourhoods (LTNs) in London and other areas of the city, the report’s authors found that the introduction of LTNs is associated with a 35% reduction in all injury-related accidents and a 37% decrease in fatal or serious injury crashes. In absolute numbers, the study concluded that the implementation of these zones prevented more than 600 injury-causing traffic accidents that would likely have otherwise occurred—including around one hundred accidents resulting in death or serious injury.

Modal Filter as a Barrier

The goal of low-traffic neighbourhoods is to make smaller residential streets more pleasant and safer for pedestrians, cyclists, and wheelchair users by restricting through car traffic using various barriers (so-called filters). Although these have been used in various forms in the UK for decades and are common in most European cities, their wider implementation in London since 2020 has faced opposition from some politicians and parts of the media.

A frequent criticism of these zones is that they merely shift traffic onto surrounding main roads, making those roads more dangerous. However, studies show that this effect is negligible—and a newly published report in the journal Injury Prevention, part of the British Medical Journal, confirms that the same applies to the number of injuries and fatalities.

The infrastructure should protect the most vulnerable road users

Out of the 113 studied zones, 27 were later removed. According to an analysis by experts from the University of Westminster and the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, if these zones had remained in place, an additional 116 injuries—including 16 serious or fatal ones—would likely have been prevented.

Most Effective in the City Centre

The study analyzed traffic accidents on so-called road links (road segments between two intersections) in London from 2012 to 2024. Some of these segments became part of the zones or formed their boundaries, while others remained unchanged and served as a control group. This allowed for a comparison of traffic and accident trends in the zones against general trends, including the impact of the pandemic and reduced traffic volumes. It was found that traffic calming is particularly effective in the inner city, whereas in outer neighborhoods the volume of traffic did not change significantly with the introduction of LTNs. The results of this fairly extensive study provide strong arguments in favor of low-traffic neighbourhoods—similar to the case of 20 mph speed limits in Wales, which also demonstrably reduce accident numbers.

More Safety for Prague Too

Improving safety for the most vulnerable road users is also the aim of Call for Zero (Výzva 0), led by AutoMat and the independent Initiative 0. This initiative formed organically in response to the death of a young cyclist in Prague 10. The goal of Challenge Zero is to urge politicians and authorities to act promptly and not overlook the need for safe infrastructure for pedestrians and cyclists. Inspired by Sweden’s Vision Zero, our initiative aims to achieve zero traffic fatalities in the city. Join us and let’s compel responsible institutions to take action together.

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