London Traffic Area facts for kids
The London Traffic Area was a special zone set up in 1924. Its main purpose was to help manage the increasing number of cars and buses in and around London. This area was created by a law called the London Traffic Act 1924. The London Traffic Area was much bigger than just central London itself. Its main job was to make sure traffic moved smoothly and safely for everyone. This special area stopped existing in 1965. Its responsibilities were then taken over by the Greater London Council.
Contents
Why Was the London Traffic Area Created?
In the early 1900s, more and more cars, buses, and trucks were on the roads. London's streets became very busy and often jammed. This made travel difficult and sometimes dangerous. To fix these problems, the government decided to create a specific plan. The London Traffic Act 1924 was passed to bring order to the busy streets. It aimed to control traffic better and improve safety for drivers and pedestrians.
How Big Was the London Traffic Area?
The London Traffic Area was quite large. It stretched about 25 miles (about 40 kilometers) from Charing Cross in central London. This made it much bigger than the old County of London or the area covered by the police.
It included all of the County of London and Middlesex. It also covered big parts of Surrey and Hertfordshire. Plus, it included some areas of Kent, Buckinghamshire, Berkshire, and Essex.
Some of the towns at the very edge of this large traffic area were:
This wide area meant that traffic rules could be managed consistently across many different towns and counties around London.
Who Helped Manage Traffic?
To help manage traffic, a special group was formed. It was called the London and Home Counties Traffic Advisory Committee. This committee's job was to give advice and make suggestions. They helped decide how to regulate and control motor traffic within the London Traffic Area.
The committee would present yearly reports to the Parliament. Members of this committee were chosen by the Ministry of Transport. Local authorities from within the traffic area also appointed members. This way, many different groups had a say in how traffic was managed.
The End of the London Traffic Area
The London Traffic Area and its advisory committee did a lot to help manage traffic. However, they were eventually replaced. This happened because of a new law called the London Government Act 1963.
In 1965, the London Traffic Area was officially ended. Its powers over traffic regulation were then given to the Greater London Council. The area managed by the Greater London Council was smaller than the old traffic area. Still, it continued the important work of keeping London's traffic moving.
