Hated Low Traffic Neighbourhood that left ambulances gridlocked and buses taking two hours to go three miles could be BACK in days as suspension nears end

Are you affected by an LTN? Email: Frankie.Elliott@mailonline.co.uk

A despised Low Traffic Neighbourhood system in south London which left ambulances gridlocked and buses taking two hours to go three miles could be back within days.

The Streatham Wells LTN caused 'chaos' after it was first introduced in October by Mayor of London Sadiq Khan in the hopes of reducing pollution.

But just five months later it was suspended after residents, local business owners and motorists branded it a 'nightmare' and claimed it had actually made the problem worse.

However, the six-month suspension ends on Friday and councillors are reportedly planning to reintroduce the scheme, leaving locals worried they will see chaos return to their roads.

Residents are now being urged to write into the council to state their support for the suspension of the LTN being made permanent.

Earlier this month, one resident emailed his fellow neighbours to say: 'Two weeks left to stop Lambeth reintroducing road closures and a return to traffic hell. In March the council introduced an 'experimental' suspension of the Streatham Wells low traffic neighbourhood and reopened the roads.

'They have allowed the public a period of six months ending September 20 to say whether the suspension should be made permanent.

'But councillors in charge of Lambeth have made clear they intend to bring back the Streatham Wells LTN, disregarding the chaos it caused.

'Write now, no later than September 20, stating that you object to any reintroduction of the Streatham Wells LTN and that you support the suspension of the LTN being made permanent.'

The LTN was launched on a trial basis last October on residential streets east of Streatham High Road (A23), and was intended to remain in place for 12-18 months.

The road, part of the A23, is the main route from south London into Surrey.

Labour-run Lambeth Council said the combination of the Streatham Wells scheme and 'frequent roadworks by Thames Water and other bodies' had caused a 'significant strain on bus services' on the A23.

The local authority suspended the scheme after Mr Khan said the council-designed LTN was 'not working' and was 'causing huge problems' on LBC in March.

The decision came as a relief to many local residents, with one shop owner claiming she can now 'taste the fumes' as she walks down Streatham High Road, and parents said their children were always late for school because of the congestion.

The traffic was so bad at peak times that buses were being diverted around and even through the zone and ambulances got stuck in the gridlock.

Transport for London (TfL) data in February showed that the A23, which runs along the western side of the LTN, became so bogged down in traffic that it took the bus 121 minutes to travel 2.9 miles.

It would have been twice as quick for passengers to walk the route which is only scheduled to take 29 minutes, the Times reported.

Back in March, the council said it had been working with TfL to implement 'a comprehensive package of bus priority measures... and help prevent bus delays in future'.

However, the council defended the LTN's impact, stating there had been 'an average 60 per cent decrease in traffic within the LTN', although there had been 'an 8 per cent increase in traffic on boundary roads'.

A Lambeth Council spokesperson said: 'We are committed to making the borough's neighbourhoods safer and healthier for all, especially local children, the vulnerable and the elderly.

'Our Healthier Neighbourhoods Plan sets out the work planned for how we will achieve this over the next two years.

'The Streatham Wells LTN is not restarting on Friday, but we remain committed to tacking air pollution, road danger and improving health across our busy inner London borough.'