Lewisham and Lee Green Low Traffic Neighbourhood
The Lewisham and Lee Green Low Traffic Neighbourhood (LTN) was considered by the Council’s Mayor and Cabinet in January 2022, following an extensive review that considered data including traffic counts, speed monitoring, consultation feedback and air quality monitoring, to understand how the LTN has performed against the Council’s policies and priorities, as well as those set out across London and nationally. You can read the Mayor and Cabinet report on our website.
The LTN was introduced in July 2020, and was revised in November 2020 following feedback from residents. We are continuing to monitor traffic and air quality data within and around the LTN.
What is a Low Traffic Neighbourhood?
Low Traffic Neighbourhoods aim to create safer, cleaner and greener streets by reducing through-traffic and discouraging non-essential car journeys.
Low Traffic Neighbourhoods close roads to vehicular traffic at specific points, known as modal filters. In the Lewisham and Lee Green LTN, these filters are marked by physical planters or signage and camera-enforced restrictions. Cyclists, emergency vehicles and waste vehicles are permitted to pass through, and Blue Badge holders living in Lewisham are able to apply for an exemption.
What is the status of the recommendations agreed by Mayor and Cabinet?
There were five key proposals that were agreed by Lewisham’s Mayor and Cabinet in January 2022:
- That a permanent traffic order retaining the revised Lewisham and Lee Green LTN be published, and that the statutory processes be conducted.
- That the physical modal filters within the Lewisham and Lee Green LTN be converted to automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) camera enforcement and that Lewisham blue badge holders and emergency services are exempt.
- Officers work with schools in the LTN area to implement traditional school streets, where schools are supportive.
- To continue to monitor the area using a range of indicators. This includes, but is not limited to, traffic counts, speed surveys, air quality and bus journey times.
- Additional complementary measures are implemented within the LTN and surrounding areas, subject to statutory processes and detailed design, including:
- planters/trees and green spaces
- additional electric vehicle charging points
- additional bike hangars and cycle stands
- additional and/or improved pedestrian crossing points
- new benches
We are currently progressing with these key approvals and you can read about the latest progress in each of these areas below.
1. Permanent Traffic Orders
Traffic orders are statutory legal documents that councils use to set out parking and other on-street restrictions.
The Council advertised the permanent traffic orders for 28 days and considered objections and comments. Recommendations were presented in a decision report, which was then considered by the Director of Public Realm. Following this process, a decision was made to make the order permanent.
2. Design of modal filters
The physical modal filters within the LTN have been converted to automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) camera enforcements. This will help improve access for cyclists, emergency services and Blue Badge holders, as well as reducing operational costs.
Following the completion of the statutory traffic order process, designs have been completed and new signage and cameras have been installed in October 2022. Going forward, enforcement measures will be used to ensure people continue to follow the restrictions in place.
Lewisham Blue Badge holders can obtain an exemption by following the process outlined on our Blue Badge webpage. Lewisham Blue Badge holders must receive confirmation that their exemption has been processed before driving through the LTN restrictions.
When a motorist is observed driving through a camera-enforced LTN restriction, a clip is sent to a review team. The review team will request details from the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA). The DVLA will inform us of who is the Registered Keeper of the vehicle. A Penalty Charge Notice (PCN) will be issued to that person by post within 28 days.
Once a PCN is issued, a payment of £130 must be made. A discounted rate of £65 is offered if payment is made within 14 days. The amount due will increase over time if the PCN is unpaid. Any unpaid PCNs will eventually be passed to an enforcement agent for debt collection.
Find out more about the LTN restrictions.
View a map of the LTN restrictions.
3. School Streets
In response to the clear support for road safety measures for children outside schools, both in the feedback to the public consultation for the LTN and the consultation for school measures, it is recommended that School Streets should be installed subject to discussions with the primary schools in the area. School Streets close streets outside schools to traffic at the start and end of the school day, making it safer and easier for children to walk, cycle or scoot to school.
The schools included in the proposals and implementation dates are:
- Trinity CofE Primary School (w/c 3 October 2022)
- Trinity CofE Secondary School (late November 2022)
- St Winifred’s RC School (w/c 7 November 2022)
- Brindishe Lee School (late November 2022)
- Brindishe Manor School (w/c 7 November 2022)
- St Saviour’s RC School (w/c 7 November 2022)
Residents who live on School Streets are able to apply for a School Street Exemption Permit to enter and exit the road if they need to when the School Street is in operation.
Details about the School Streets programme, operation times and roads affected can be found on our School Streets webpage.
4. Monitoring
We’re continuing to monitor the LTN using a range of indicators, including traffic counts, speed surveys, air quality and bus journey times.
Read the monitoring report update from September 2022.
Read the full monitoring report from September 2022.
Further monitoring will take place in April 2023 for continued assessment of the LTN.
5. Complementary measures
The introduction of a new package of complementary environmental measures was approved at Mayor and Cabinet in January 2022, subject to detailed designs and discussions.
These additional measures respond to the priorities of local residents and will be introduced in and around the LTN to further support people to walk and cycle, helping to create safer and greener streets.
Further details about these additional green measures and progress on delivery are set out below. You can find out more about the additional work we are doing to create a Greener Lewisham on our website.
Electric vehicle charging points
We have identified locations for 12 new charging points within the LTN area, based on comments made by residents and partners during the consultation period. Three new charging points have already been installed and the remaining nine will be installed by March 2023.
If you're interested in an EV charging point near your property - inside or outside the LTN - please let us know by emailing electricalvehicles@lewisham.gov.uk.
Bike hangars
19 locations have been identified for new bike hangars, having reviewed requests from residents.
Due to delivery constraints, these will be implemented in phases. 13 bike hangars have been installed across the LTN area so far, with a further six hangars due to be installed.
Street trees
35 locations have been identified for new street trees. These will be planted during the planting season between October 2022 to March 2023, in line with best practice.
New benches
Four locations have been identified for new benches and these will be installed in October 2022. A further six benches will be installed once suitable locations have been identified.
How is Lewisham's LTN performing so far?
The outcomes from monitoring, evaluation and the consultation show that:
- the LTN has encouraged more walking and cycling
- 39% of consultation respondents agreed that there was less traffic within the revised LTN
- Traffic levels reduced by 42% between March 2019 and April 2022
The restrictions
You can find out more about the LTN restrictions here.
You can also download a map outlining the restrictions.
Frequently Asked Questions
You can find out more about the LTN and answers to our most commonly asked questions by downloading our FAQs.