It’s about time sustainability was prioritised in London. Pollution levels in the capital are still some of the highest in the country. As an active campaigner for the conservation of the environment, and a long-term supporter of charities such as WWF, any progress made to stop the race against time that is climate change, feels like a cause for celebration. However, the introduction of LTNs, or Low Traffic Neighbourhoods, feels like a quick fix, one size fits all solution to the issue of car pollution, and one which unfortunately, has caused more inconvenience than it has cleaner air.
LTNs aim to reduce the amount of local traffic by blocking off residential roads that are commonly used as alternatives to busier A and B roads. However, using this copy and paste method for all areas naturally ignores the individual characteristics of those areas, which mean some people end up much worse off than they started.
The Bowes Ward in Enfield are currently going through a battle between councillors and residents: all of whom want cleaner air for their area, but who clash when it comes to the implementation of LTNs. It is important to note that the initial plan to reduce traffic was realized before a public consultation was taken from the people it would affect the most, so unsurprisingly, many local residents feel the best solution was overlooked in favour of the fastest. In order to make permanent changes that benefit the environment it is essential to look at all options, and this is exactly what the local council of the area failed to do. The result is a network of streets blocked off from the outside world, save one route in and out: the notoriously busy, notoriously unpredictable North Circular Road. What could have been a great way to finally kick start a new wave of eco-friendly habits, descended into a battle over the summer between people, who feel as though their voices have been overlooked, taking to the streets to protest, and councillors, unwilling to backtrack and rethink their strategy.
However, the stalemate might finally be over. Just last week, several residents were invited to a series of zoom calls with both the councillors and the MP of the area, which has reignited the calls for an amendment to the Bowes LTN. The outcome of the talks? It seems both sides have seen the others’ point of view, and there is a general sense of agreement that changes need to be made, that don’t also compromise the progress that could be made by reducing the number of cars on the road. Whether or not this leads to something tangible is still up in the air for now, but now people are listening to each other, it is only a matter of time before words lead to actions.
