West Dulwich LTN: Residents make legal threat to Lambeth Council

'Two thirds of respondents oppose latest LTN'

Campaigners in south London have said they plan to take the council to the High Court over the introduction of a new Low Traffic Neighbourhood (LTN).

The West Dulwich Action Group said 67% of people who responded to a consultation about an 18-month trial on Idmiston Road "were either unhappy or very unhappy with what was proposed".

Lambeth Council's deputy leader councillor Rezina Chowdhury said "we know these things work" and that other LTNs had reduced traffic and the number of accidents.

In March, Lambeth Council suspended another LTN after months of delays to buses in Streatham, which was branded an "embarrassment" by critics.

LTNs try to reduce motor traffic in residential areas by using either cameras, planters or lockable bollards.

Opponents of the schemes have criticised their effectiveness to improve air quality and claimed it creates more congestion in other places.

Last year, it was revealed Lambeth had spent £310,038 over three years fixing vandalised LTN infrastructure.

A Lambeth Council spokesperson said: “We have thoroughly engaged with the local community throughout, and there are formal opportunities for residents and businesses to feed back during the current trial."

Val Davison, from the West Dulwich Action Group, branded this statement "complete and utter nonsense".

She said: "They don't engage. They provide very short meetings, they don't reply to emails, they don't listen to us.

"They don't want to hear anybody else's solution. They have a single one-size-fits-all solution."

The group says the scheme "will push traffic onto heavily congested boundary roads where over 6,000 children attend schools and nurseries, significantly raising the risks of pollution and road accidents".

However, not all drivers are opposed to its introduction.

Jackie Dishman, who lives locally, said: "Everybody who lives on our street has been 100% behind the idea of restricting cars coming into our road, even though it will require us to go a bit further to get out.

"It's a small inconvenience compared to the danger of thousands of cars racing down your road every day."

Robbie Owen, from the West Dulwich Action Group, said: "Lambeth has not complied with Department for Transport guidance that says that you should only bring forward LTNs where they command strong community support and there's anything other than strong community support for this."

A council spokesperson added: “The council is working to make Lambeth’s neighbourhoods safer and healthier for all, especially local children, the vulnerable, and the elderly.

“Lambeth has some of the country’s most polluted air, lacks outdoor space for exercise and socialising for the many local people who live in flats, and dangerous roads resulting in too many people getting injured."