After String of Terrorist Attacks, London Mayor Considers Plan To Ban Cars in Certain Areas
Following multiple terrorist attacks during the past year in Britain’s capital, London Mayor Sadiq Khan is now considering a plan to ban cars in certain areas.
On Tuesday, a 29-year-old British citizen originally from Sudan rammed his vehicle into pedestrians and cyclists outside Britain’s House of Parliament. No one was injured, but three people suffered serious injuries.
Police are treating the incident as an act of terrorism.
A similar attack occurred on Westminister Bridge in March 2017. Five people were killed and 50 were injured after a terrorist drove his car through crowds of pedestrians.
In June of last year, a van with three attackers drove into pedestrians on London Bridge, before going on to stab people in neighboring pubs and restaurants. Eight people were killed and 48 were injured.
Three additional attacks using vehicles as a weapon were carried out in London last year.
Security barriers have now been constructed across the city to stop these kinds of attacks.
Now, Mayor Khan is considering taking it a step further.
During an interview with BBC radio on Wednesday, Khan said he’s looking into banning vehicles in certain areas of Parliament Square.
“I think there would be lots of challenges if we would do the whole square. It is a thoroughfare for cars, vehicles and commercial deliveries going through London,” he said, Politico reported. “So it’s possible to have a designed solution … in keeping our buildings and people as safe as we can do. And also not losing what is so wonderful about our city that is a vibrant democracy, people can walk around safely.”
Khan has also cracked down on knives during his time as mayor, including enacting policies that involve “stop and search” measures.
In March, what was described as a “violent scourge” took over the city, with more murders in London than New York City that month, Reuters reported.
“British politicians and police are increasingly expressing concern about London’s rising murder rate, which is driven by a surge in knife crime,” Reuters reported. “Of the 47 murders in London so far this year, 31 have been committed with knives.”
Khan declared in April that there is “never a reason to carry a knife.”
“No excuses: there is never a reason to carry a knife,” Khan wrote on Twitter. “Anyone who does will be caught, and they will feel the full force of the law.”
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