Fifteen community groups are urging the government to regulate Low Traffic Neighbourhoods for better local support and accountability
London: So, a bunch of campaign groups against Low Traffic Neighbourhoods, or LTNs, have teamed up for the first time. They’re pushing the government to change the law about these traffic schemes.
Fifteen different community groups sent a letter to the transport secretary, Heidi Alexander. They’re saying that these LTN schemes often don’t have local support, which is a big deal.
In their letter, they’re asking for a strict set of rules for both new and existing LTNs. They want to make sure that local authorities can’t just impose these schemes without community backing.
They pointed out that the Department for Transport claims LTNs should be developed with local input. But the groups argue that many times, local councils go ahead with them anyway, even when public consultations show that most people want them gone. This has really hurt trust in local government.
Until now, these groups have been fighting their battles alone. But now they’re banding together to push for real change. They want to ensure that no one, especially vulnerable groups like the disabled, gets left out of the conversation.
Campaigners from all over London, including places like Dulwich and Hackney, have signed the letter. They’re also saying there’s no solid proof that LTNs actually help public health.
Residents in LTN areas are feeling the pinch too, with more traffic congestion and longer bus routes. Just last month, a legal challenge against the removal of some LTNs in Tower Hamlets didn’t go through, which could have big implications for other boroughs.
About 100 LTNs have popped up across London, many of them during the pandemic, often without any real consultation. They were meant to encourage walking and cycling, but it seems like they’ve caused more headaches than help.
A recent study found that while these measures did cut down on traffic in residential areas, they didn’t really affect the busier main roads much. The Department for Transport still insists that local councils should decide on traffic management, but they need to engage with the community.
It looks like this issue isn’t going away anytime soon, and the Standard is keeping an eye on it for more updates.
