LTN exemption ‘too little too late’ for boy
Transport trial relaxes ‘people-friendly streets’ restrictions for those with disabilities
Friday, 13th January 2023 — By Charlotte Chambers
Elodie Denjean with son Matthieu
THE mother of an autistic teenage boy has criticised the council for doing “too little too late” after it finally brought in driving exemptions for those with disabilities.
Elodie Denjean’s son Matthieu, 14, has non-verbal autism and attends a special school in Camden as well as a residential centre one day a week in Archway.
But she said she had felt “completely ignored” by the council since the introduction of the Low Traffic Neighbourhood (LTN) in Highbury in 2021 due to lack of exemptions in its traffic policies.
Ms Denjean added: “We’ve just had to give things up. For example, shopping on a Saturday, which helps with his life skills and socialising, but by the time we get to the supermarket he’s been in the car for 50 minutes and he’s in a state.”
She said driving to his respite centre takes 30 minutes whereas it once took five, leaving them in a state of emotional stress.
Last week transport chiefs launched a 12-week trial giving those with disabilities the opportunity to apply for exemptions to drive everywhere in the borough, regardless of recent traffic restrictions.
Ms Denjean, 48, from Kelross Road, Highbury, said she had been contacted in mid-December and told her application for an Individual Exemption would be fast-tracked, but added: “It is too little because it’s for one car only and it ignores the fact that [my son and other people] have multiple therapists and carers who need to visit them or take them out to places, and it’s definitely too late. It’s two years too late. It’s dealing with the disabled last.”
Islington’s environment chief Councillor Rowena Champion said: “We know how important this issue is to people across the borough, and have taken time to carefully consider feedback from disabled people and groups representing disabled people as we have developed the policy.
“We feel that our people-friendly streets exemptions strike a balance between supporting those that need to travel by car to do so, while ensuring that the schemes continue to deliver more pleasant, safer streets, including for disabled people that do not travel by motor vehicle.”
