LTNs: ‘Who, with a quiet street, would want to revert to the way it was, despite the injustice it’s creating?’

• WHAT next for Islington’s low traffic neighbourhood (LTN) schemes? Objections have been “noted”, and nothing changes.

Meanwhile, those who benefit from the absence of traffic (a far cry from “reducing through-traffic” stated as the original intention) are enjoying their prize of empty roads.

Imagine you won £10million from a lottery ticket you picked up from the gutter, then heard someone saying they had dropped their winning entry exactly where you found yours. Would you hand over your winnings or just keep shtoom?

That’s how it is with LTNs. Those lucky enough to have won the road closure lottery are enjoying the absence of passing cars and listening to birdsong, ignoring the plight of those who are suffering, immune to the arguments that are powerfully and honestly put forward by less fortunate residents and businesses.

And who can blame them? Who, with a quiet street, would want to revert to the way it was, despite the injustice it’s creating?

And who can blame those in other areas for wanting the same, not realising, or caring about, the harm they will be doing to others?

If there were a referendum the losers would most likely be people on the streets that are congested by displaced traffic and the traders whose businesses are now at risk, outvoted by those who have unexpectedly been given the prize of clear roads.

If the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights, that monitors elections across the world, looked at this, they’d probably say the community has been bribed into submission by the gift of empty streets.

And it’ll be a brave council that tries to take it away again. LTNs have created a #MeMeMe culture. It’s shameful, but does anyone now expect to see a less divisive, fairer way?

RICHARD SMITH
Highbury Hill, N5