Which mayoral candidate promises the best road safety policies for pedestrians?
On a frivolous note, a scan of the manifestos of the four leading candidates gives a score on the number of times ‘road safety’ is mentioned by; Boris Nil, Hugh Once, Jenny Once, and Ken Twice. Does this give a fair indication of what Londoner’s can expect from their future Mayor?
What pedestrians can expect from the four main candidates
Key safety issues
Congestion and vehicle speeds 
Whilst all the candidates recognise the need to reduce congestion, Boris Johnson seems to be alone in advocating the continuation of his policies that have seen a decade of improvements to pedestrian road casualties stall and begin to reverse. He will introduce a ‘Congestion Busting Plan’. This will involve ‘redesigning roads to improve traffic flow’ and ‘optimising traffic signals’. Although he does maintain he will ‘improv{e} conditions for vulnerable road users such as pedestrians’, it is difficult to see how he expects to achieve this. During Johnson’s tenure the phasing of 2,650 traffic lights have been altered. This has cut delays for motorists but has allowed less time for pedestrians to cross. He intends to continue to support the conversion of traffic lights to Split Cycle Offset Optimisation Technique (SCOOT), whereby the lights can sense traffic building up and alter the timing accordingly. On the other hand, Johnson does suggest that he will trial the application of this technology to recognise the build up of pedestrians waiting to cross and amend signal timings.
Ken Livingstone plans to reduce congestion on London’s streets by supporting freight consolidation schemes to reduce the number of delivery vehicles, and by encouraging car clubs, which he suggests will cut the number of journeys by car.
20s Plenty
More importantly, Livingstone and Hugh Paddick and Jenny Jones agree that 20-MPH zones will substantially reduce road casualties. Livingstone specifically states he ‘will cut road deaths and injuries by supporting borough councils who want to make 20 MPH the default speed on residential streets or where children go to school, and on a case-by-case basis, dangerous high streets’. This is also supported by Paddick and Jones.
Increase in pedestrianisation
Livingstone, Paddick and Jones agree on the need for more pedestrianisation and the linking of pedestrian routes that will enable Londoners to travel safely by foot over long distances in a pleasant traffic free environment. Jones and Paddick go further and would bring in a Summer Streets scheme of temporary pedestrian routes as trialled in New York. http://www.nyc.gov/html/dot/summerstreets/html/about/about.shtml.
Increasing the voice of pedestrians in decision making
Paddick will ensure that a pedestrian is ‘specifically represented on TfL’s project teams when plans are being drawn up for road junction remodeling and other major infrastructure changes’. Jones also intends to put a walking representative on the TfL Board and change planning protocols so that pedestrians and cyclists are treated as more important than cars. In contrast, Johnson will set up a ‘Cabbie Cabinet’ to give taxi drivers more say.
Safer traffic lights
Jones would review traffic lights to ensure they give pedestrians enough time to cross rather than speeding traffic flow by reducing the length of the pedestrian phase as advocated by Johnson. Both agree on the introduction of more countdown signals; Jones would also like to see more ‘Trixi’ mirrors to make crossings safer.
Shared space
Johnson supports greater use of shared space - such as at Exhibition Road. He suggests that as this gives pedestrians and drivers equal rights of way, it reduces accidents as it discourages speeding, and encourages road users to take more responsibility for their risks. It is unclear what this means for pedestrians.
