Consultation on the schemes set to begin this week

Some motorist have been disregarding LTN restrictions

June 27, 2021

A meeting of Ealing Council this week has been told that fines for contravening access restrictions in the borough’s Low Traffic Neighbourhoods (LTNs) now total £2.4 million.

Cllr Deirdre Costigan, the deputy leader of the Labour group, gave the figure to assembled councillors at the meeting on Tuesday.

She added that 70% of the Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs) had been given to cars registered outside of the borough and that the money raised would mostly be going toward funding the Freedom Pass which costs the council over £10million a year.

It is understood that the figure does not include money raised from other traffic measures imposed since the pandemic began such as the restriction in Fisher’s Lane Chiswick.

A ‘CPZ-style’ consultation is set to begin in the nine remaining LTNs in the borough starting on 1 July in advance of the trial period for the schemes coming to an end in mid-August. Residents of roads in or bordering LTNs will receive leaflets this week.

“Small changes by lots of us, like walking children to school or cycling to local shops, can make a huge difference,” said Cllr Costigan. “LTNs help to make that easier to do on safer and more pleasant streets. They can also improve air quality and cut down on harmful pollution that affects all our health, our environment and climate.

“We recognise that change can be difficult, and that these trial schemes have aroused strong feelings locally. For these schemes to be successful, it is vital that they have the support of local people.

“So, whether you have strong views, have changed your opinion over time, or are finding out about LTNs for the first time – we want to give you control over changes in your neighbourhood. Have your say when the consultation goes live.”

Consultation on the nine LTNs will run until 23 July. Some households may receive more than one leaflet if they are close to multiple schemes.

Local people and businesses in Deans Road and Montague Road will be asked if they want to reinstate the measures previously in place in this area. The roads were just one part of the former LTN21 trial which was ended early because of Hounslow’s decision to close Swyncombe Avenue, making the trial unworkable. However, the council says there is strong support in these two roads for active travel measures in this smaller area.

Feedback on schemes given previously either by email or the council’s Commonplace website, will not be considered.

Conservative chief whip, councillor David Millican, questioned the need for a further consultation when residents had already provided feedback through the Commonplace website.

The majority of the 4,951 comments made by 3,727 contributors pinned on the map are negative and marked by red pins.

“Overall 76 per cent of comments were negative, 19 per cent were positive and 5 per cent were neutral,” a cabinet report on the website stated on December 8, 2020.

Conservative and Liberal Democrat councillors are calling for a suspension of all of Ealing’s LTNs until the results of the consultation.

Cllr Millican told the council meeting that he’s had “hundreds” of emails from residents opposed to the scheme.

“Residents don’t want the LTNs by any measure. We don’t want them, there’s been marches,” he said.

“Your Commonplace platform is a sea of red, the petitions were done by 12 to one against. The pro-LTN is less than 1,000, the anti-LTN is 12,000.”

Cllr Millican says that the council leadership has got itself “into a pickle” because the current Experimental Traffic Order – effectively a trial scheme for the LTNs which did not require public consultation – expires on 16 August.

“On that date the barriers have to come out,” he said. “A [Controlled Parking Zone] style consultation would be quite detailed, there’s no way they would get a report by the 16 August. They’re boxed into quite a corner on that one.”

Council leader Peter Mason said in the meeting, “I have set out that our administration will be open, transparent and inclusive, and that means putting residents in control of their communities and listening to what they have to say.

“Nationally the Tory’s own party supports active travel, yet locally? Nothing.”

An Ealing council spokesperson said: “With the six-month LTN trial period coming to an end in mid-August, a consultation will be announced tomorrow (25 June) to give residents a final say before a decision is made on whether to make them permanent or not.

“Feedback received via Commonplace and email has fed into the interim review and changes to schemes to address some of the most common concerns were made, including introducing ANPR cameras to allow blue badge holders access without a penalty charge notice being applied and easy emergency service access.”

Written with contributions from Josh Mellor - Local Democracy Reporter