West Dulwich residents are taking Lambeth Council to court over a controversial new Low Traffic Neighbourhood, (LTN) writes Issy Clarke..
West Dulwich Action Group (WDAG) has accused the council of carrying out a “seriously flawed” consultation process.
LTNs are areas aiming to reduce motor traffic in residential areas through cameras, planters or bollards.
The group is challenging an LTN between Rosendale and Norwood Road that prevents vehicular traffic from entering, passing through or waiting within the area.
They claim the council disregarded the results of a questionnaire in which 67 per cent of respondents said they were unhappy with the scheme.
The group also said the questionnaire only gave respondents the opportunity to give their view on the current LTN proposals, without a ‘no-LTN’ option.
Consultations over the introduction of the LTN began in January 2022, with the first proposals published in April 2023. In February 2024, an eighteen-month trial scheme was launched.
Campaigners hope the legal battle will end with Lambeth Council traffic management orders being quashed – opening the area back up to traffic.
WDAG said it was optimistic about the outcome, adding: “We feel confident in exposing what we perceive as serious flaws in the LTN development and implementation and related decision-making processes by the council.”
They have also been objecting to the introduction of a new controlled parking zone in the area (CPZ) which sees residents pay for permits to park their vehicles.
In a report released over Christmas, Lambeth Council signalled its intention to push ahead with the scheme, which will operate between 12pm and 2pm from Monday to Friday.
But the campaigners have accused the council of misrepresenting the scale of local opposition in the report, which acknowledged the objections but claimed there was “some support” for the scheme.
However, WDAG’s analysis of the representations found the overwhelming majority – 93% – were opposed to the scheme, with 88% opposed to any kind of CPZ at all.
A council spokesperson said: “Lambeth Council is working to make all our neighbourhoods safer and healthier for everyone, especially young children and the elderly – who are the most vulnerable to road danger and the effects of air pollution.
“The range of street improvement measures in West Dulwich, proposed after residents and businesses called for traffic reduction on their streets, is designed to make the local neighbourhood safer and healthier for all.
“We have thoroughly engaged with – and listened to – the local community throughout the development of these proposals, and provided opportunities for residents and businesses to feed back. We are confident that we have complied with all legislative requirements.
“The council considered all the views expressed during the CPZ consultation and, based on the feedback, we have decided to carry out a second consultation, this time based on a two-hour restriction period. Local residents and businesses will once again be contacted to provide their views.”