12 hours ago
Campaigners attack plan to ditch public vote guidance on LTNs
The transport secretary has been urged to reconsider plans to ditch guidance that insists councils obtain community consent before introducing low traffic neighbourhoods.
An umbrella group representing 15 local campaigns against the traffic relocation schemes has written to Heidi Alexander to question why she has chosen to abandon a policy that 'increased democratic accountability'.
They fear the decision will encourage councils to implement dozens more low traffic neighbourhoods (LTNs) despite public opposition.
The letter, seen by The Times, follows Labour's decision not to endorse draft guidance issued by the previous Conservative government that instructed councils to undertake certain steps before introducing the schemes, such as using 'professional polling to British Polling Council standards' to ensure they had local support.
This polling standard was intended to stop councils using consultations designed by cycling lobby groups that contained leading questions and could easily be gamed by activists.
