Latest news with #LowTrafficNeighbourhood
Telegraph
4 days ago
- Politics
- Telegraph
Labour council ‘using socialist sledgehammer' to impose LTN
A Labour-run council has been accused of using a 'socialist sledgehammer' to establish a Low Traffic Neighbourhood (LTN) without proper consultation. The Kennington Triangle LTN, planned to cover streets in both Lambeth and Southwark, has provoked anger from local representatives who say Lambeth council has not informed them of the decision. The dispute comes months after a judge ruled that the same council must scrap an LTN in West Dulwich, saying Lambeth council had ignored residents' 'legitimate concerns' about the zone. Metropolitan Tabernacle Baptist Church said the Kennington scheme would 'adversely affect' its long-standing work in support of elderly worshippers. The church also runs weekly youth activities for more than 400 children, bringing many of them door-to-door using minibuses. It said the incoming traffic restrictions would block vehicle access, and reduce the street parking needed for staff and their accessible transport. Neighbouring area 'ignored' by council Graham Neale, a Liberal Democrat councillor on Southwark council, said as many as 1,500 homes could be affected on the Southwark side, including two 40-floor tower blocks, but no effort was made to consult elected officials or service providers in the area. 'They've used this sort of socialist sledgehammer. It's just the wrong way of going about it,' he said. He described the process as 'a dog's breakfast', claiming Lambeth officials failed to name any Southwark contacts when asked, and had only engaged with stakeholders inside their own borough. 'They consulted Lambeth libraries, schools, community groups, but nobody in Southwark,' he said. 'Residents have seen Lambeth flyers and are bombarding me with questions.' The LTN has been championed by Cllr Rezina Chowdhury, Lambeth council's deputy leader, who was recently urged to resign after a judge ruled she had misled the High Court over the separate traffic scheme in West Dulwich. Mr Justice Smith ruled in May that the council had ignored residents' 'legitimate concerns' about the zone. It is the first time that an LTN, a zone where traffic is restricted in residential roads and fines are issued to unauthorised vehicles that enter the area, has been shut down by the courts. Campaigners from the West Dulwich Action Group said it set 'a powerful precedent' for residents locked in similar battles nationwide. A Southwark council spokesman said: 'We have worked closely with Lambeth Council to ensure residents in both boroughs have the opportunity to share their views. We will carefully review all responses once this initial engagement exercise is complete and will make a decision once we have weighed up all of the facts, ensuring it reflects the needs and concerns of local residents.' A Lambeth council spokesman said: 'We are committed to consulting with as many stakeholders as possible on these proposals to make local streets safer, cut harmful air pollution and improve people's health. 'That consultation is ongoing, we have distributed the engagement materials to people who live in Southwark, within the scheme area and beyond, to ensure people have a way of participating and provide their feedback. The proposals are still at formative stage and people have until July 7 to respond.''
Daily Mail
07-07-2025
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE The moment desperate drivers realise they've been snared by London's most-hated low traffic neighbourhood that pulls in £16,500 in fines a day
These are the chaotic scenes when drivers try to avoid an 'absolutely ridiculous' Low Traffic Neighbourhood that is raking in fines of £16,500 a day for a council. The camera-enforced LTN roads in East Greenwich, south-east London are making it difficult for locals to go to the shops, drop their children to school and get to work, they say. And our video shows the lengths drivers are forced to go to in order to avoid a dreaded £100 fine. MailOnline footage shows one grey van braking abruptly before hastily turning around and a Waitrose truck making an awkward diversion. Other clips show a laundry delivery lorry driving down a restricted road before quickly backing out in a panic, cars approaching hesitantly to read the signs then re-routing and even some oblivious drivers hurtling straight through. Between January and the end of May, the council has made £2.5 million from 47,836 notices penalty notices issued over rush-hour restrictions on Westcombe Hill, Vanbrugh Hill, Halstow Road and Maze Hill. Irene Asah, 48, was once able to drop her nine-year-old son right outside the school gates, but is now forced to park up before Halstow Road and let him walk the rest of the way on his own. The mother-of-two doesn't have time to take the diverted route as she also has to drop her daughter to secondary school and get to work. 'I wish I could drop him straight to the school entrance, it would be easier and more secure, but I don't have time,' she told MailOnline. Ms Asah said the LTN is 'really horrible' and 'bad for people who drive', adding: 'It does make our journeys longer. I work in central London, so when I come back after 3pm I can't go this direction. I have to go all the way past Shooters Hill, it's a long way.' If she was able to use the road when she finishes work, it would only take her 15 minutes to get to her son's school and pick him up at 3.30pm. However, it now takes her 45 minutes which means she often arrives 15 minutes past the collection time. 'The school are always calling me because I'm late and can't get there in time,' she said. Colin Gifford, 55, lives at the top of Vanbrugh Hill and mentioned how the build-up of traffic can add an extra 20 minutes to his commute. He told MailOnline: 'My quickest and easiest way to the Blackwall Tunnel is down Vanbrugh Hill through the LTN, but I'm forced to go all the way round during rush hour with everybody else and that's making those roads so much busier.' Mr Gifford acknowledged the LTN is good for the people living on the restricted roads, but said it 'doesn't make sense' for other locals. 'I don't think it stops people driving, they just go in a different direction,' he added. Elsewhere, Kirsty Dunlop explained how Greenwich has always been a 'pathway to the Blackwall Tunnel', but the easy access they once had is now blocked. The 46-year-old said: 'The LTNs sound great in theory, but for us residents it's absolutely ridiculous and there's no help what so ever.' She added: 'I live the other side of Amber Hill, so for me to get to the Blackwall Tunnel I have to go all the way up, over and around to get somewhere that would have taken me two minutes. 'I understand there's the whole rat-run thing with people coming in, but it's just so unhelpful.' Ms Dunlop said her neighbour recently received a £100 fine after she drove through Halstow Road at 6.59am. But, when her friend appealed it and pointed out she had gone through just one minute before the controls start, she was told it 'doesn't matter'. The build-up of traffic has also made bus journeys longer and even impossible at times because they can't 'physically turn down' some congested roads due to how narrow they are. She said: 'It's a mile to my son's school and sometimes we don't want to walk in the pouring rain and get wet, so then you're waiting on a bus. 'The bus will say it's going to be 10 minutes and next thing you know it's 20 minutes. That's putting pressure on all of us and it's just not fair.' She mentioned how teachers are unable to park on the road where they work and end up late because they have to search for a spot further away. Ms Dunlop said: 'It's just really put us at a disadvantage. I do think something needs to happen, but I don't think this is the way forward. 'I don't think they have really thought this through for the people living here.' The mother is 'not surprised' the council make so much money from fines, adding: 'As much as they package it up as fighting pollution and helping us, it is a money-making scheme.' Marianne Chapman, 39, lives on Eastcombe Avenue, the first road past the Westcombe Park LTN, and believes they are 'just putting everyone in more traffic'. She told MailOnline: 'It means everyone comes down my road and it's completely blocked. 'We've got the 380 bus and it can't come up the road because of the amount of people coming down and it's really narrow. So, the busses physically can't do the turn.' Ms Chapman shared concerns about how the money from the fines is being used. 'Where is this money Greenwich Council are collecting from fines going? They're making this much money, but are they showing us it's going into doing something about the environment and pollution? 'Is it even being spent on something or is it just going into the councils budget? It should go towards something relevant to what it is meant to be stopping.' Gareth Morgan, 46, said he is having to be 'very conscious' of the routes he takes and is 'yet to have met someone in favour of the idea'. The Halstow Road resident revealed how he has to use public car parks because he doesn't currently have a parking permit for outside his property. He added he might have been caught out by the unclear signage had not seen the consultation. Other residents noted they avoid talking to some of their neighbours who like the LTN because of how divisive the topic is, with some asking to give their comments anonymously. One man said: 'They have to stop this game. London is not Amsterdam. Is this some kind of money making scheme? 'The neighbourhoods that benefit from this system are the ones with beautiful houses. The square meter is way more expensive here.' Another complained: 'I think it's a waste of time. I've had situations where taxis are not wanting to turn into this area to drop me off at home, so I'm being dropped off at the bottom of the hill. 'People are not very clear on the rules. It seems very complicated. 'I'd rather see the council spend money on actual things that are going help us with reaching net zero, like more cycle lanes and investing in better public transport, rather than these kinds of punitive measures that are there to punish motorists. 'It's damaging the council's relationship with local residents.' Meanwhile, a few homeowners in East Greenwich - who also asked to remain anonymous - said they 'love' the scheme before hurrying away from any more questions. Donald Reid, who is in favour of the LTN, was unafraid to declare his opinion that it is a 'good thing'. The 65-year-old said: 'It has reduced congestion, reduced pollution, and it makes the area nice to walk around.' 'We need to get more people off the roads and using bikes or walking. There are a large number of unnecessary journeys being made by car. 'People need to change behaviour to get closer to net zero.' He said it was 'horrendous' before the restrictions, with cars 'banked up the road with pollution running'. Councillor Matt Hartley, Leader of Greenwich Conservatives, who requested the figures on fines from the council, told us: 'Labour's ideological war on drivers continues to hurt people here. 'The scheme was chaotically introduced, with poor signage and widespread confusion. 'The fines are now rolling in to the council and, predictably, there's no sign of the air quality benefits the council claimed. 'What we can see is that some traffic is being displaced to roads in areas outside the zone, which have been badly let down by this council. 'Labour councillors need to have the humility to listen to local people, instead of just seeing the pound signs above their heads.'
BBC News
04-06-2025
- BBC News
West Dulwich LTN must be removed immediately, court rules
A low-traffic neighbourhood (LTN) scheme in south London must be removed with immediate effect, following an order by the High Council was told in May that the imposition of the LTN in West Dulwich was unlawful, and has been denied permission to appeal against the aim to reduce motor traffic in residential areas by using either cameras, planters or lockable bollards, but opponents have criticised their West Dulwich Action Group (WDAG), which brought the legal challenge, described the ruling as " a wake-up call to councils everywhere". Lambeth Council must also pay £35,000 towards the legal costs incurred by WDAG. The action group said questions must now be asked about the revenue raised by penalising motorists contravening the LTN rules - and whether the more-than £1m total raised in penalty notices will have to be repaid.A WDAG spokesperson said the group had called upon Lambeth Council to clarify whether it would issue refunds. "This is not just about legality — it's about fairness and public trust. If the law was broken, the money should be paid back."This case should never have gone to court. It could have been resolved through proper, respectful dialogue. Instead, Lambeth chose to defend litigation over listening — and the public has paid for it." In response to the decision, Lambeth Council said it "remained committed to delivering our programme to reduce road danger for those most at risk and make our streets calmer, more community-friendly places."The High Court has ordered the removal of West Dulwich street improvements. No further fines will be issued, and we are removing the scheme as soon as it can be done safely."
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Lib Dem council's LTNs are against the law, say campaigners
A Liberal Democrat council's low traffic neighbourhood (LTN) may be against the law, campaigners have said. Bath and North East Somerset (B&NES) council has been warned that it faces legal action if it presses on with an 'experimental' LTN in Bath's Sydney Place area. Councillors have pledged to make the scheme permanent, claiming it provides environmental and safety benefits. But after the High Court struck down a similar scheme in Lambeth earlier this month, Bath residents are now threatening legal action against the local authority. It comes after Nigel Farage's Reform UK party pledged to axe LTNs in all of the councils it controls and to block new ones. An LTN is where streets are blocked off to traffic. Advocates of such schemes say they improve air quality and make road safer for pedestrians. The schemes can be hugely unpopular because they often drive up traffic congestion on neighbouring roads. Locals next to an LTN elsewhere in Bath measured a 700 per cent increase in traffic passing a nearby primary school. The United Sydney Unliveable Neighbourhoods Group (Unsung) has instructed a lawyer to write to the council, asking it to withdraw the LTN because it failed to listen to local objections. First installed under a so-called 'experimental traffic restriction order', the Sydney Place LTN was originally meant to be temporary while council officials assessed if it was worth keeping. A failure by Lambeth Council, in the London borough's West Dulwich area, to listen to residents' concerns led to an LTN being declared unlawful by a High Court judge earlier this month. Lambeth officials may now have to rip out the obstructions blocking roads that have been subjected to the LTN – something that Bath campaigners now hope they can force their council to do. Neil McCabe, a spokesman for Unsung, said: 'B&NES has a track record of ignoring residents' groups' concerns when it implements ill-thought-out LTNs. 'The West Dulwich court case has now established that doing so is illegal. B&NES now needs to reverse any LTN with less than 50 per cent support from all affected residents, not just the few benefitting from the LTN.' Unsung's letter, seen by The Telegraph, alleges that the western England council's actions 'are exactly paralleled' by how the London council behaved towards residents. People living near the LTN expressed mistrust in 'the council's skewed consultation process' and separately petitioned the local authority to abandon the scheme. A total of 779 locals are said to have objected to the Sydney Place LTN, with the letter adding: 'Of note is that a greater number of residents took the time to sign the formal objections than voted for the LTN in the official consultation.' Last year, Manda Rigby, the council's cabinet member for transport, vowed to install further LTNs with no further say for local residents. She said in a YouTube video last year: 'We are very aware that there are strong feelings both for and against the experimental traffic regulation order and we have really carefully considered whether or not to reconsult, before relaying the new experimental traffic regulation order. 'We've decided against this, because over the last 18 months, we have designed, in consultation with our communities, four schemes that are all going to go to trial, so we can monitor what impact they have before we actually decide whether or not to make them permanent.' Her vow could now bring the council into conflict with the High Court. Ruling against Labour-controlled Lambeth council earlier in May, Mr Justice Smith said the authority was guilty of a 'serious failing' after it ignored an 'impressive' report that warned street closures in south London could lead to increased congestion and pollution. He also found the local authority had given a 'masterclass in selective partial reporting' after a council document failed to record how a public consultation about the West Dulwich LTN engendered tremendous 'hostility' from local people. A spokesman for Bath and North East Somerset council said: 'We have received correspondence and are considering it but will make no further comment at this stage.' Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
Telegraph
24-05-2025
- Politics
- Telegraph
Lib Dem council's LTNs are against the law, say campaigners
A Liberal Democrat council's low traffic neighbourhood (LTN) may be against the law, campaigners have said. Bath and North East Somerset (B&NES) council has been warned that it faces legal action if it presses on with an 'experimental' LTN in Bath's Sydney Place area. Councillors have pledged to make the scheme permanent, claiming it provides environmental and safety benefits. But after the High Court struck down a similar scheme in Lambeth earlier this month, Bath residents are now threatening legal action against the local authority. It comes after Nigel Farage's Reform UK party pledged to axe LTNs in all of the councils it controls and to block new ones. An LTN is where streets are blocked off to traffic. Advocates of such schemes say they improve air quality and make road safer for pedestrians. The schemes can be hugely unpopular because they often drive up traffic congestion on neighbouring roads. Locals next to an LTN elsewhere in Bath measured a 700 per cent increase in traffic passing a nearby primary school. The United Sydney Unliveable Neighbourhoods Group (Unsung) has instructed a lawyer to write to the council, asking it to withdraw the LTN because it failed to listen to local objections. First installed under a so-called 'experimental traffic restriction order', the Sydney Place LTN was originally meant to be temporary while council officials assessed if it was worth keeping. A failure by Lambeth Council, in the London borough's West Dulwich area, to listen to residents' concerns led to an LTN being declared unlawful by a High Court judge earlier this month. Lambeth officials may now have to rip out the obstructions blocking roads that have been subjected to the LTN – something that Bath campaigners now hope they can force their council to do. Neil McCabe, a spokesman for Unsung, said: 'B&NES has a track record of ignoring residents' groups' concerns when it implements ill-thought-out LTNs. 'The West Dulwich court case has now established that doing so is illegal. B&NES now needs to reverse any LTN with less than 50 per cent support from all affected residents, not just the few benefitting from the LTN.' Unsung's letter, seen by The Telegraph, alleges that the western England council's actions 'are exactly paralleled' by how the London council behaved towards residents. 'Skewed consultation process' People living near the LTN expressed mistrust in 'the council's skewed consultation process' and separately petitioned the local authority to abandon the scheme. A total of 779 locals are said to have objected to the Sydney Place LTN, with the letter adding: 'Of note is that a greater number of residents took the time to sign the formal objections than voted for the LTN in the official consultation.' Last year, Manda Rigby, the council's cabinet member for transport, vowed to install further LTNs with no further say for local residents. She said in a YouTube video last year: 'We are very aware that there are strong feelings both for and against the experimental traffic regulation order and we have really carefully considered whether or not to reconsult, before relaying the new experimental traffic regulation order. 'We've decided against this, because over the last 18 months, we have designed, in consultation with our communities, four schemes that are all going to go to trial, so we can monitor what impact they have before we actually decide whether or not to make them permanent.' Her vow could now bring the council into conflict with the High Court. Ruling against Labour-controlled Lambeth council earlier in May, Mr Justice Smith said the authority was guilty of a 'serious failing' after it ignored an 'impressive' report that warned street closures in south London could lead to increased congestion and pollution. He also found the local authority had given a 'masterclass in selective partial reporting' after a council document failed to record how a public consultation about the West Dulwich LTN engendered tremendous 'hostility' from local people.
