ONE of the authors of a study into the impact of Low Traffic Neighbourhoods says the data proves the road closure policies are a successs.

Dr Audrey de Nazelle, from the Centre for Environmental Policy at Imperial College London, said the study answered the many critics who insist the traffic schemes create more pollution by causing gridlocked jams on other streets.

The academic paper studied the LTNs in St Peter’s ward, Canonbury East and Clerkenwell from a year before they were introduced in 2020 to a year after their installation. It analysed the level of nitrogen dioxide inside and on the boundaries of the LTNs.

The report said: “We find that the LTN intervention reduced concentrations within the LTN areas by 5.7 per cent and in boundary areas by 8.9 per cent.”

Islington Council last week announced plans to extend its schemes to the majority of the borough.

New measures will be installed over the next two years across Mildmay East, the Caledonian Road area, Barnsbury and Laycock, Annette Road and Highbury New Park.

Once those have been brought in, further LTNs will be introduced in Dartmouth Park Hill, ­Calshot, Bunhill South and Barbican, St John’s, and Tufnell Park.

Dr de Nazelle said: “I do think there is such a thing as growing pains. It takes time for people to adjust their behaviours. In the same way that if you add a lane to a highway and slowly more traffic uses it, eventually congestion will start again – eventually there will be more cars on that road.

“And conversely [if you bring in LTNs] it goes the other way too – eventually there will be less cars on the road.”

Dr Audrey de Nazelle

Last week Rosamund Kissi-Debrah, the anti-pollution campaigner whose nine-year-old daughter Ella died of asthma linked to pollution, told the Tribune she thought LTNs were “terrible” as they “dispersed traffic to the main roads and the main roads are where poorer people live”.

She said the data that proves LTNs reduce pollution and traffic was “made up”.

But Dr de Nazelle responded: “Ms Kissi-Debrah says she worries air pollution will increase in the boundary roads and what we’re finding is that air pollution is falling inside the LTN but also at the boundary roads.

“We’re not finding that people are disadvantaged by air pollution in the streets that surround LTNs while people that live in them can take advantage of the more pleasant and less polluted environments.”

As part of the £9million programme agreed by the council last Thursday, the School Streets programme – which sees roads closed in the mornings and at home time around schools – will be extended to three secondary schools this year, while the 10 primary schools still without this measure, because they are on a main roads, will have their pavements widened and bike bays installed.

Labour councillor Rowena Champion, executive member for environment, air quality and transport, said: “Over the past few years, we’ve taken great strides towards creating a cleaner, greener, healthier Islington through our people-friendly streets, School Streets, greening, and other improvements.

“However, we know that we simply cannot afford to stand still. Islington remains one of the six London boroughs most susceptible to ­climate change, and air pollution is still a major public health emergency. We must continue to deliver environmentally friendly streets for Islington, and our exciting vision is designed to achieve just that.”