Lewisham and Lee Green LTN consultation launched

Over 30,000 residents living in and around the Low Traffic Neighbourhood (LTN) will receive a copy of the survey through their door over the next week. It is also available online and residents and businesses based outside the LTN are also encouraged to share their views over the next six weeks.

The feedback will form part of the formal review of the LTN and will help to guide a decision about its long term future. The findings of the consultation, along with a summary report, will be presented to Mayor and Cabinet later this year.

COVID-19 response

The Lewisham and Lee Green LTN was first introduced in July 2020. At the time, in response to the pandemic, the Government was encouraging councils to urgently put measures like LTNs in place.

The primary aim was to encourage people to walk and cycle more, and to do so safely whilst maintaining social distancing, as more of us were working from home and exercising and shopping in our local area. LTNs also aim to improve air quality and public health, reduce air and noise pollution and make roads safer. They aim to achieve this by restricting access to some roads by motor vehicles, but keeping them open to pedestrians and cyclists.

Due to the timescales and expectations set by central government, councils did not have time to consult on these changes and were expected to rapidly introduce measures that would achieve these results, without the full range of traffic studies and preparatory work that would normally be undertaken for such proposals.

The scheme was implemented using a ‘Temporary Traffic Order’, which allowed the scheme to be implemented quickly. The Council listened to concerns raised by residents and responded to perceived increases in traffic levels and increased bus journey times and made changes to the LTN in November 2020, which opened some of the restrictions to traffic.

Feedback

Cllr Sophie McGeevor, Cabinet Member for Environment and Transport, said: “LTNs were introduced at speed – at the request of the Government - at the height of the pandemic last year. Across London people have mixed views about them, and Lewisham is no different, which is why it’s really important we do everything we can to make sure we hear as many voices as possible.

“The impact of COVID-19 is still being felt and the way we travel and move around is still changing, but a year on, we think it’s important we ask residents in and around the LTN about their experiences and whether they think it’s meeting its aims. We want to make sure everyone has the chance to share their views, so we have a range of ways for people to do that, both online and via a paper survey. This feedback will help us to make a decision about the future of the LTN later this year.”

The consultation material includes information to help residents understand the wider impact of the LTN, including monitoring data showing the impact on the number of vehicles, air quality, vehicle speeds and bus journey times.

Have your say

Find out more and complete the LTN survey.

The consultation will close on 8 August 2021.