Skip to Content
Streetsblog California home
Streetsblog California home
Log In
Parking

To Reduce Pollution, London Will Outlaw Parking Construction

Photo: Garry Knight/Flickr

Saying London needs to get "bolder" about reducing reliance on cars, London Mayor Sadiq Khan announced today that the city will ban the construction of new parking spaces in home and office developments in large parts of the city.

Details of the plan will not be released until tomorrow, but the Times of London reports that Khan wants to stop the addition of new parking spaces in central London and locations with good transit access.

The restriction on car parking is part of a package of reforms Khan is putting forward to reduce air pollution in London, which contributes to an estimated 9,500 premature deaths each year. Another plank calls for doubling the number of bike parking spaces in retail locations.

Khan's goal is to increase the share of trips by foot, bike, or transit from 64 percent to 80 percent over the next 25 years, according to the Times, eliminating 3 million daily car trips.

London's network of high-quality "cycling superhighways" is still a work in progress, but it's already proven that bicycling can efficiently move large numbers of people in the city. Londoners now make more than 600,000 daily bike trips, or about one seventh as many as the Tube carries. Khan hopes to put every resident within 400 meters of a protected bike lane by 2041.

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from Streetsblog California

California Transportation Commission Relents, Adds Complete Streets Requirements to Funding Program Guidelines

The State Highway Operations and Protection Program (SHOPP), the state's largest highway funding program, makes some moves to include S.B. 960 requirements

December 11, 2024

Tuesday’s Headlines

Salinas Safe Routes project gets perfect score; San Diego ATP applications lose out on limited funding; Dangerous driving behavior is killing people; More

December 10, 2024

CicLAvia in the West San Fernando Valley – Open Thread

Sunday's CicLAvia took place on five miles of Sherman Way through the West San Fernando Valley communities of Canoga Park, Reseda, and Winnetka

December 10, 2024

Can We Build Car-Light Neighborhoods From Scratch — Even in Texas?

Can you really build a car-light neighborhood in suburban Houston — and could it inspire car-dependent places to explore new ideas about development?

December 10, 2024

Even at Slower Speeds, SUVs and Pickups are a ‘Big’ Problem for Pedestrians

Pedestrians hit by median-height cars have a 60 percent chance of suffering moderate injuries, but that figure rises to 83 percent when they are struck by a median-height pickup truck at that same speed.

December 10, 2024
See all posts