Prime minister Rishi Sunak has asked the Department for Transport to review low-traffic neighbourhoods (LTNs) in England over concerns they add to congestion on nearby roads and hinder access to key services.
Council chiefs immediately hit back at the prime minister's decision, stating local authorities are best placed to decide whether to implement LTNs or not.
LTNs aim to reduce traffic, improve air quality and tackle climate change by preventing drivers using quieter residential roads as through-routes.
A recent study from Imperial College London suggested that they reduce traffic and air pollution without displacing the problem to nearby streets.
In an interview with the Sunday Telegraph over the weekend, the PM criticised LTNs and Mayor of London Sadiq Khan’s expansion of the ultra-low emission zone (ULEZ), suggesting they were ‘anti-motorist’.
The PM is also reportedly considering restricting the use of 20mph zones.
Cllr Linda Taylor, Local Government Association (LGA) transport spokesperson, criticised the decision to order a national review, insisting that councils were ‘best placed to make decisions with their communities’.
She said: ‘As democratic organisations they continually review all kinds of services and schemes based on local circumstances. Therefore, a national review is unnecessary.’
This article first appeared on our sister website LocalGov.
