Sadiq Khan to ban cars from 200 roads across London to 'encourage more active travel'

Cars are set to be banned from 200 more roads in key areas across London in a bid to boost walking and support road safety near schools.

Transport for London has confirmed that 200 new School Street projects will be launched across the capital by the end of the decade.

London Mayor Sir Sadiq Khan and TfL have consistently supported measures to improve active travel options for people living across the capital.

The Mayor's Transport Strategy outlined plans to deliver 1,000 new zebra and signal-controlled crossings by 2031, introduce roads with lower speeds and "address risk posed by larger vehicles".

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Sir Khan's Vision Zero action plan details a goal of 2041 to eliminate all deaths and serious injuries from London's road network.

The 200 new School Streets will contribute towards this, with restrictions being placed on school drop-off and pick-up times.

Data from TfL states that more than 800 roads across the capital were designated as School Streets as of the end of April 2025.

The transport body stated that School Streets improve air quality and reduce road danger by giving pedestrians and cyclists more space.

Boroughs across the capital are responsible for launching School Streets, although TfL provides a map of which roads could be most suitable for the measures.

Sir Khan has been supportive of active travel measures for a number of years, announcing in 2022 that London had more than 500 School Streets that were in operation.

He explained on social media site X: "School Streets restrict access to cars during the school run, encouraging more active travel and less air pollution."

The 55-year-old also highlighted a school in Hackney where 92 per cent of trips made to the school were done by walking or cycling.

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Commenting on the new School Street plans, Christina Calderato, director of transport strategy at TfL, praised the measures for helping the streets be more "pleasant" for all.

She added: "Walking is already at the heart of how Londoners get around, but we know too many people are still put off by safety concerns, poor crossings or inaccessible streets.

"This new plan sets out how we'll change that by making it easier and more pleasant to walk for everyday journeys, whether that's getting to school, the station or the local high street."

All new signalised crossings rolled out by TfL before the end of the decade will feature pedestrian countdown timers.

These devices are programmed to show a green man signal immediately after the button is pressed if it hasn't been activated in the last 30 seconds.

Around 472 School Streets currently in operation use this method, while 18 show a continuous green signal for pedestrians until an approaching vehicle is detected.

Will Norman, London's walking and cycling commissioner, said: "The Mayor and I are determined to make walking the safest, easiest and most enjoyable way of getting around London.

"This new plan will help us drive further progress in cleaning up our air and tackling congestion."

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