Islington (Parliament Politics Magazine) – Islington Council faces backlash over a new 10mph speed limit on a main road, with drivers calling it “ridiculous” and cyclists saying it’s unworkable.
Even bikes have exceeded a temporary 10 mph speed limit in a busy London area, prompting one activist to call the plan the “peak of insanity” and an anti-driver campaign. The restriction on St John’s Street, a small route next to Smithfield Market that is currently clogged because of road construction, was put into place by Islington Council last month.
The six-month order, signified by newly painted circular markings, applies to narrowed lanes as workers install a traffic filter, trees, planters and rain gardens to enhance safety and aesthetics. FairFuelUK founder Howard Cox commented: “The madness of 20mph is well documented: too much focus on the speedometer, increased emissions at persistent low gear, and no real proof of fewer accidents or injuries. And now there is 10mph, which beggars belief at the complete stupidity of the road transport planners. They may be temporary levels of control, but not only will this number be impossible to police-no vehicle, not even a bicycle, will stay below this idiotic new maximum speed target.
I’m not sure that there are even cameras capable of measuring any infringement accurately enough, either. The anti-driver policies of left-wing authorities have now reached new heights of insanity.”
This criticism is echoed on the streets, where the lunchtime rush from office workers collides with slow-moving traffic. Harry, a 33 year old black cab driver from Greenwich, told the Telegraph:
“Everywhere is 20 miles an hour already-it’s just a hindrance to my life.
It’s not actually good for the engine, and drivers are spending more time worrying about the speed they’re doing when they should be focused on their surroundings. It’s dangerous.”,
reports the Express.
He cautioned that two infractions exceeding 25 mph could result in six penalty points and a ban from Transport for London. A 64-year-old Hertfordshire truck driver named Jason Fenton noticed bicycles breaking the cap while unloading goods.
He said:
“I’d say that cyclist was probably going more than 10mph. It’s a bit pointless-it’s too restrictive. You’re looking at your clock instead of the road, which is what you’re supposed to be doing.
The council seems to want everyone to travel by foot or bicycle. But the reality is, offices here still need to receive lorries on a daily basis. Commerce has to carry on, yet councils try to restrict everything, which makes it very difficult.”
Over the course of its six-mile span, Islington has 43 TfL-operated speed and red-light cameras—seven per square mile. Three points and £100 fines are possible for offenders; 410,266 parking tickets brought in over £20 million last year.
Since 2016, the number of private vehicles has decreased by 4.6%, reaching 35,665 in 2020, despite complaints of 1,896 potholes between April 2024 and March 2025, or more than 12 per road mile, all of which have been fixed, according to council claims.
Rat-runs have been prohibited in seven low-traffic neighborhoods since 2020, a decision that has received mixed opinions because some people now have longer commutes.
The executive member for transportation, air quality, and the environment, Councillor Rowena Champion, insisted that these modifications were the outcome of collaboration.
He posed a question to Exchequer Secretary Dan Tomlinson:
“In a new poll, FairFuelUK has found that three out of four road users who voted Labour want fuel duty to be kept frozen or reduced. Will the Chancellor listen to the people who put her into Government and ensure that that regressive tax, which hits low-income families and economic growth the hardest, is not increased?”.
How long will the 10mph restriction remain in effect?
The 10mph speed restriction introduced by Islington Council on St John Street is temporary and will remain in effect for about six months. This duration corresponds to the period during which ongoing roadworks are taking place to install a bike lane, rain auditoriums , trees, and fresh verdure aimed at perfecting safety and the visual terrain of the road.
The speed limit will last about six months during the construction. This move has sparked counterreaction from motorists who call the limit “ ridiculous ” and impracticable, expressing concerns about business traffic, stalling vehicles, and increased emigrations from footling buses .
Some motorists say it’s delicate to operate motorcycles at similar low prices and worry it’ll disrupt business inflow. Cyclists also find the 10mph limit useless, with numerous unfit to maintain such a slow speed, therefore making enforcement grueling .