Sadiq Khan under fire after LTN scrapped due to bus journey nightmare

A controversial road scheme in south London is to be axed after it took a bus more than two hours to go three miles through the blocked-off streets.

The blundering low traffic neighbourhood (LTN) plan in Streatham Wells caused tailbacks and brought traffic to a standstill in the suburb.

The Labour-run Lambeth Council was forced to pull the plug, admitting it pushed up congestion by eight per cent on surround routes.

At its worst, one bus took 121 minutes to travel less than three miles due to heavy queues on the A23 arterial route from motorists avoiding the LTN.

This comes after Mayor of London Sadiq Khan slammed the LTN for being a "huge problem".

The council also blamed Thames Water roadworks for the congestion and said a segregated cycle lane is planned to replace the LTN.

After LTNs were introduced in Lambeth, the number of penalty charge notices more than doubled.

A spokeswoman for Mr Khan said: "The Mayor has always been clear that if road schemes need to be changed or adapted to better work for the local area, then that is the right thing to do, working with local partners and residents."

Neil Garrat, the City Hall Conservatives' leader, said: "It is a win for all the local people who've had to put up with Labour's LTN nonsense in Streatham, and we who pressed Labour to open their eyes and look at the disaster they created."

Susan Hall, Tory candidate for Mayor of London, added: "Sadiq Khan forced LTNs like this on Londoners, which do nothing but cause congestion and has threatened councils that have tried to get rid of them."

"While he ignores Londoner's concerns, I will listen and support councils in removing these LTNs."