Hackney transport chief defends ‘bold’ LTNs as campaigners again call for them to be scrapped

Road closure campaigners outside Hackney Town Hall. Photograph: Julia Gregory

Politicians have again been challenged to scrap Hackney’s controversial low traffic neighbourhoods (LTNs) by campaigners.

The council’s policy, which aims to cut pollution, came under fire at this week’s full council when resident Ruth Parkinson called for it to be reversed.

She said the closures came in during the pandemic with the aim of helping social distancing, but the goal is now pollution, road safety and physical inactivity.

Ms Parkinson told the council: “The road closures have caused a major impact for the local residents and businesses, as they are unable to access their residence and business premises. The few remaining roads are gridlocked all day and not just during rush hour.

“This is also causing major pollution on the gridlocked roads and will also impact the emergency services response times.”

She told councillors: “You knew pollution wasn’t an issue on side streets where LTNs are focused, but main roads.”

She added: “You knew increasing congestion on main roads would lead to higher pollution levels for people on these roads. We call this social injustice.

“By making people drive more miles to get to their destinations inside and outside, LTNS contribute to pollution.”

A petition opposing the scheme was signed by 17,000 people and she said the council showed “a failure to listen”.

Ms Parkinson said accidents tend to happen on main roads rather than side roads and rejected claims that LTNs boost physical activity.

She pointed out that a fifth of Hackney residents have a disability and nearly 10 per cent told the 2021 census it impacted on their daily activities.

She also wants the council to hold another public consultation to find out what residents want.

Her call was backed by Conservative Simche Steinberger, who said locals have been raising their concerns for three years.

He said: “These LTNs are a load of rubbish. Listen to the people – 17,000 people is just unbelievable.”

He added: “It’s not working. Do something that works.”

Cllr Mete Coban, cabinet member for environment and transport, said the “horrific images” of wildfires in the Greek island of Rhodes showed how concerning the climate emergency is.

“Tackling pollution should not be a political issue.”

He said children raise concerns about pollution and added: “To be clear, LTNs do not close roads. Every road is accessible.”

He said the consultation over the Stoke Newington LTN introduced in 2021 attracted 20,000 responses.

“Our direction of travel is bold,” he said.

Green party councillor Alastair Binnie-Lubbock called for a Citizens’ Assembly to help bring residents into the discussion.

Several times during public question time, the Speaker said she might have to suspend the meeting if people continued to call out while councillors were responding to questions.

Matthew Albrow asked about mitigation for the “additional harm” for people living on and using Balls Pond Road, Dalston Lane and Graham Road since LTNs were brought in.

Cllr Coban said that “more work needs to be done” and that further details about this will be published in September.

Niall Crowley said residents on Whiston Road “are paying a heavy price for LTNs” as the road is the only fully open west-to-east route between Shoreditch and Amhurst.

He said council monitoring in July 2021 saw traffic go up 55 per cent on parts of Whiston Road – after a London Fields LTN was introduced.

He called on the council to scrap the schemes and “work with residents for a workable and equitable solution”.

Cllr Coban reiterated that the council will not scrap LTNs, saying overall the area has seen air quality improvements.

He added that 83 per cent of tickets for breaches of LTNs are handed out to vehicles registered outside Hackney.

“It’s demonstrating the exact reason why we need LTNs.”

Another resident, former teacher Clair Battaglino, said she was concerned about schools on main roads.

She asked what steps the council is taking to cut the harm for babies and children at “at least 30 schools and nurseries” facing hours of increased traffic, pollution and risk of accidents.

Ms Battaglino said she “fully supports” School Streets – which sees roads closed to traffic at the start and end of the school day.

Cllr Coban responded: “There is too much traffic in Hackney.”

He said traffic on main roads has fallen by 66 per cent.

He also told Ms Battalingo: “Not all the LTNs are 100 per cent going to be the best in the borough.”

He said they were part of a package of interventions and unless motorised traffic numbers reduce, children will suffer.