A bold traffic reduction target for London

As Green Mayor, I will set a bold new target and kickstart an Olympic-level campaign to cut London’s traffic miles 40 per cent by 2026.

I told Sophy Ridge on Sky today that we need to get all of London behind this, and for Transport for London to support drivers to make simple and smarter choices to free up road space for buses, walking and cycling and clean up the capital’s air.

We know we can do this – the 2012 Olympics in London was a fantastic example of how a similar level of reduction had been achieved before, when traffic was reduced 15 per cent during the games.

This will be an Olympic level campaign – we need to get London moving by cutting traffic so we will set bold targets and stick to them.

I want to get everyone in London on a mission to achieve this target so we can breathe healthy air and meet our climate emergency target of net-zero carbon emissions by 2030.

Reducing the number of miles driven in London will also make streets healthier, and free up space in the city for more green spaces, open community spaces and more full or part-time pedestrianised areas.”

A Green Mayor would work with Transport for London to bring in a comprehensive, long-term, smarter travel choices programme to bring about travel behaviour change.

Similar measures were used during the Olympic and Paralympic Games in London to free up space on the road and public transport network for games-related journeys, and it was hugely successful with traffic falling by 15 per cent during a fortnight.

Research shows these Olympic-style ‘smart measures’ – encouraging simple choices such as combining two trips into one or organising shared lifts to work or children’s activities – can make a big difference.

This is achievable – it’s just about reducing the number of miles driven and we can do that by simple things like combining a trip to the shops with a trip to the swimming pool.

This is part of tackling the climate emergency and improving the quality and affordability of life in London.

Only a Green Mayor and more Assembly members can be trusted to make transport better in London.

Traffic miles can also be cut by shifting some trips to public transport, walking or cycling, which would all become easier and cheaper under the Greens’ transport plans.

To reach the target, business action would also be vital, and the new smart road-charging scheme a Green Mayor would introduce in 2022 would be a real incentive to use vehicles more efficiently and reduce miles driven.

A Green Mayor would aim to get business and logistics firms on the same mission, reducing traffic miles on behalf of all of us, particularly when delivering our goods and services.

Greens will also work hard to build smart transport planning into places we visit like workplaces, schools, football stadiums, theatres, and festivals.