Local authorities are best placed to make decisions about whether to implement low-traffic neighbourhoods (LTN) or not, council chiefs have told the Prime Minister.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has asked the Department for Transport to review LTNs in England over concerns they add to congestion on nearby roads and hinder delivery vans and cars transporting the elderly.
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.’
The Government has also launched a review of parking charges and debt recovery fees.
