NYC Mayor’s 15 mph Speed Limit Plan Threatens to Grind City to a Halt

Warnings from London show how drastic speed limit cuts can devastate urban mobility

Mar. 18, 2026 at 11:42pm

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Columnist Brendan O’Neill warns that New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s proposal to slash the speed limit to 15 mph could turn the city into a gridlocked mess, just like London has experienced under a similar policy. O’Neill argues that Mamdani is mimicking the disastrous policies of London Mayor Sadiq Khan, including congestion pricing, aggressive emissions reductions, and soft-on-crime approaches that have crippled the UK capital.

Why it matters

New York City is one of the most vibrant and economically important cities in the world. Drastically slowing down traffic and making it harder for people and goods to move around the city could have severe economic and quality-of-life consequences. The columnist warns that Mamdani’s policies echo the failures of London, which has become a cautionary tale of how overzealous green policies and identity politics can grind a major city to a halt.

The details

O’Neill, a Londoner, describes how a 20 mph speed limit in the UK capital has led to interminable traffic jams, with drivers feeling “like you’re in quicksand” as cyclists and pedestrians often move faster. London was ranked the slowest city for drivers in a 2024 global survey, with a 6-mile journey taking over 37 minutes on average. Hefty fines for speeding have turned drivers into “cash cows” for the “20-mph gestapo.” O’Neill warns that Mamdani’s plan to emulate these policies in New York threatens to turn the “city that never sleeps” into the “city that never moves.”

  • In 2024, a survey of 387 cities ranked London as the slowest city for drivers.
  • London rinsed motorists of $3.2 billion in fines for speeding in 2024 alone.

The players

Zohran Mamdani

The mayor of New York City who is proposing to slash the speed limit to 15 mph, mirroring policies implemented in London.

Sadiq Khan

The mayor of London who has implemented a 20 mph speed limit and other policies that have crippled mobility in the UK capital.

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What they’re saying

“A 6-mile journey in central London now takes on average 37 minutes and 20 seconds.”

— Brendan O’Neill, Columnist

“In 2024 alone, London rinsed motorists of $3.2 billion for the sin of driving over the limit.”

— Brendan O’Neill, Columnist

The takeaway

This case highlights the dangers of overzealous green policies and identity politics trumping practical concerns about urban mobility and economic vitality. New Yorkers should heed the cautionary tale of London’s downfall under similar misguided leadership.