Latest news with #LTNs
Yahoo
8 hours ago
- Yahoo
Lambeth LTN to 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 Court. Lambeth 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 decision. LTNs aim to reduce motor traffic in residential areas by using either cameras, planters or lockable bollards, but opponents have criticised their effectiveness. The West Dulwich Action Group (WDAG), which brought the legal challenge, described the ruling as " a wake-up call to councils everywhere". Low-traffic neighbourhood unlawful - High Court 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." Listen to the best of BBC Radio London on Sounds and follow BBC London on Facebook, X and Instagram. Send your story ideas to
Yahoo
7 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Council urged for 'Plan B' to tackle congestion
A council has been urged to find a "Plan B" for tackling a city's congestion problem after a traffic filters trial was pushed back. The managing director of Oxford Bus Company, Luke Marion, said congestion in Oxford was at "emergency levels". Oxfordshire County Council's Lib Dem administration was set to introduce contentious traffic filters on several major roads in autumn 2024, but they were pushed back for another two years due to the ongoing closure of Botley Road. The council's newly elected cabinet said it is going to draft new plans to deal with the city's congestion problem. The traffic filters would be introduced on Hythe Bridge Street, Thames Street, St Cross Road, St Clement's Street, Marston Ferry Road and Hollow Way, with motorists without a permit facing a £70 fine for driving through. The plans are part of the county council's drive to create a net-zero travel and transport system by 2040. Last week, Banbury's Labour MP Sean Woodcock wrote to the council asking whether they would take advantage of powers to bring more bus services under their control, if the government's better buses bill was passed. Andrew Gant, cabinet member for transport management, said the calls for action were taken "seriously" and that they looked forward "to engaging on proposals soon". "We need faster, more regular, cheaper bus services, and we need them now," he said. "The way to do that is to tackle congestion, which will of course also deliver safer, quieter, cleaner streets, and help key workers and businesses delivering vital services on our roads." Green county and city councillor Emily Kerr said she was "delighted" at the news and called the delays due to the Botley Road closure "exceptionally problematic". "Everyone agrees we need to speed up the buses," she added. "But whilst Labour and the Tory Alliance say they want this, they've opposed the policy suggestions which will deliver it, such as traffic filters." Labour councillor Brad Baines argued that the county council plans "do not answer questions about affordability of bus services or routes going where people need to go". "These are key barriers which are yet to be addressed or even considered." Councillor David Henwood is part of the Oxfordshire Alliance, which consists of Conservative and Independent councillors. "The solution is clear: remove the LTNs to unlock Oxford's radial routes, relieve pressure on the main roads, and finally make space for efficient, reliable bus services across the city," he said. You can follow BBC Oxfordshire on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram. Urgent health responders exempted from city's LTNs LTNs and cycle lanes cost council almost £4m Council refuses calls to open LTNs in emergencies Oxfordshire County Council
The Guardian
21-05-2025
- Politics
- The Guardian
Reform UK fulfils pledge to scrap LTNs in its council areas as none exist
Reform UK's pledge to remove all low-traffic neighbourhoods from the council areas it controls looks to be achieved in record time after the 10 local authorities said they do not actually have any in place. Zia Yusuf, Reform UK's chair, said last week there would be a 'large-scale reversal' of existing LTNs in the 10 areas across England where the party won control of the councils in local elections on 1 May. 'We view these schemes with the same suspicion as mass immigration and net zero,' Yusuf told the Telegraph, adding: 'You can expect, if you live in a Reform council, for there to be a much higher bar for any proposals for LTNs and for the large-scale reversal of these existing LTNs.' The Guardian contacted the councils now run by Reform – Derbyshire, Doncaster, Durham, Kent, Lancashire, Lincolnshire, North Northamptonshire, Nottinghamshire, Staffordshire and West Northamptonshire – and they all said they had no such schemes. LTNs are traffic interventions that filter smaller, residential roads using either physical barriers like bollards and planters or numberplate-recognition cameras to prevent motor vehicles using them as through routes. While the wider idea of using what are known as modal filters to make residential roads safer for walking and cycling has been used intermittently for decades, the branding as LTNs usually refers to schemes introduced from 2020, when the Conservative government encouraged councils to install them. Some of these LTNs were put in quickly, bringing complaints about traffic displaced to boundary roads and some congestion. However, studies of LTNs, including one commissioned by Rishi Sunak's LTN-sceptical government, have generally found they work well and are popular. Asked about the lack of LTNs in the areas they run, a Reform spokesperson pointed to mapping data showing the proportion of roads within the council areas not open to through-traffic. However, this would also count longer-established non-LTN roads without through traffic, such as cul-de-sacs and housing estates. It is not known whether Reform plans to open these up as through routes. Reform has also pledged to sack council staff working on diversity issues or efforts connected to net zero, although it is unknown how many staff this would actually involve. Some councils, such as Lincolnshire, have said they have no diversity staff. A Liberal Democrat source said: 'Reform are utterly clueless about how to run a council. From councillors who won't take up their seats to schemes that don't exist, it's clear that they don't understand the needs of their communities. 'Now they have some power, they need to learn how to Google things first. Liberal Democrats will be holding Reform's feet to the fire and standing up for our communities.'
Daily Mail
18-05-2025
- Business
- Daily Mail
Reform UK launches war on LTNs: Nigel Farage's party will axe hated green roads schemes in all 10 of its newly-won council authorities
Having seized a number of councils in May's local elections, Reform UK have now declared war on low-traffic neighbourhoods (LTNs). The party have committed to ending the schemes in every council they control, as well as stalling the introduction of any new ones, The Telegraph reported. LTNs were introduced in 2020 and have been championed by politicians like London mayor Sadiq Khan as being positive for pedestrians and cyclists. It was also claimed that they would help slash pollution and make roads safer by closing off the majority of side roads to vehicles. But the schemes have also led to a backlash from drivers and bus passengers due to an increase in delays on roads around the areas and the impact on the disabled. At present there are more than 100 of the schemes operating inside the UK. Zia Yusuf, the Reform party chairman, said: 'LTNs have proliferated too quickly and there are far too many of them. 'We view these schemes with the same suspicion as mass immigration and Net Zero. They are policies which are supported by and made to benefit more affluent people, who are then insulated from the negative consequences. 'You can expect, if you live in a Reform council, for there to be a much higher bar for any proposals for LTNs and for the large-scale reversal of these existing LTNs.' Mr Yusef said that the 10 Reform-run councils would soon become 'islands of freedom for motorists'. LTNs were a big issue for Reform UK candidates in the May local elections, where they took control of 10 councils and racked up an incredible 677 councillors. However the schemes have been a benefit for property owners, with prices booming inside the zones. Properties inside London's controversial low traffic neighbours (LTNs) are worth up to 108 per cent more than the borough average, research last year showed. The average house price within 20 LTNs analysed by estate agent Benham and Reeves is £529,391, which is 5 per cent above the typical London value of £502,690 But while the research suggests LTNs are boosting house prices for homeowners who already live within them, experts warned the additional strain the areas place on surrounding roads from increased congestion is a deterrent to many buyers.
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
I've just received two penalty notices. This war on motorists has gone far enough
If you drive around this country on a regular basis you might be forgiven for thinking that everyone in power hates cars. Whether they're running national government or local councils, it appears that if you sit behind the wheel of a vehicle you are seen as the enemy. How else to explain some of the baffling measures introduced in recent years to make driving more expensive, more difficult and a lot less fun than it used to be? Smart motorways, clean air zones, bus lanes, speed bumps, emergency gates, cycle superhighways and low traffic neighbourhoods (LTNs) have all conspired to frustrate and annoy motorists going about their daily business. But finally, there might be some light at the end of the tunnel – even if the tunnel has just acquired a new toll charge that it never used to have. For the past five years LTNs have been a battleground between local residents and campaigners all over the country. They grew up mainly as a result of Covid restrictions being put in place by over-zealous local burghers who saw restriction of travel as a silver bullet to reduce pollution. And campaigners who saw an opportunity to get people out of their cars and into – as they call it – more active forms of travel. The trouble with LTNs, though, is that they are rarely well through out. Closing off entire streets to through traffic just pushes the congestion somewhere else – usually onto main artery roads that they become permanent traffic jams pumping yet more fumes into the air. In some parts of London the battle for parking spaces, delivery van access and exemptions for disabled badge holders were painted as culture war issues pitting Net Zero zealots against entire communities who were objecting to their imposition. Now it looks as though the law has finally stepped in to bring some common sense to the discussion. Just last week the High Court ruled that Lambeth Council in South London was wrong to ignore local objections to its latest scheme. Not only that, it acted unlawfully. The council could now be forced to do away with the bollards, the planters and all the other paraphernalia that has been the bane of people's everyday lives in West Dulwich. To add insult to injury the judge in the case, Mr Justice Smith, criticised the council for ignoring a report from campaigners at the West Dulwich Action Group who highlighted the unintended consequences of the LTN. Lambeth Council say they are still measuring what the impact of the judgment will be before they decide what to do next. But residents are angry that they spent public money defending a lawsuit that they knew they couldn't win. For their part the council claims LTNs are helping them to combat climate change. Just how they're doing that is anyone's guess. The flip side of all those fines of course, in addition to effectively being an extra tax on road users in the borough, is that some businesses have been hurt, impacting the local economy. There have been similar objections raised elsewhere in the country. Business owners in Oxford have been complaining about restrictions which force people to drive ridiculously circuitous routes to get from one part of the city to another. And in Manchester the clean air zone has once again been put on ice while the pros and cons of installing it are weighed up. Taxi drivers in Newcastle are refusing to enter some parts of the city because of the cost of charges and fines. One thing is for certain, if victorious LTN challenges become the norm there will be many councils looking for more ways to raise revenue. In some areas they are installing ever more sophisticated traffic cameras that aim to catch people using their phones while driving. In the part of London where I live they've come up with an ingenious wheeze. Simply change the usage of the road at specific times. Last weekend I awoke to not one, but two penalty charge notices, for driving my car down a street that I've used for years without any problems. It turns out that it has now been designated for use by pedestrians and cyclists only during the hours of 8.30-9.15am and 3-3.45pm. Naturally the new sign explaining all this is not very easy to see and looks like it applies to a different street. That'll be £160 for each penalty notice to Southwark Council – discounted to £80 each if paid within two weeks. Of course I've appealed but I'm not holding out much hope. After all, this is a racket we're all involved in. I fear that, even if LTNs are no more, green zealots will concoct new and ever more imaginative methods of rinsing drivers. Mike Graham presents Morning Glory every weekday from 6am-10am on Talk 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.
