• I RECEIVED the council’s email notification regarding consultation results on the first LTN, low traffic neighbourhood, in Islington St Peter’s.

This appears to me to be concerning and biased, only highlighting positive data which does not fully capture the outcomes and feedback received, presenting only hand-picked data which significantly skews and misrepresents the results.

What is also concerning is that the Mayor of London’s recent transport strategy is quoted with the overarching aim to reduce Londoners’ dependency on cars and to increase the active, efficient and sustainable (walking, cycling and public transport) mode share of trips in London to an ambitious 80 per cent by 2041.

Quoted in Islington’s own Draft Transport Strategy; page 25: “Active and sustainable modes account for 81% of average daily trips of Islington’s residents, already exceeding the London wide target of 80%. Only 16.6% of all trips made in Islington are by car, amongst the lowest of the inner-London boroughs”.

As I’ve pointed out before, we already exceed the mayor’s target in Islington but when I put this to Cllr Caroline Russell her response was that “we need to achieve a lot more than 80 per cent to make up for outer London”.

So the people of Islington must suffer the additional traffic, idling, pollution, and inconvenience being observed on our boundary roads to help outer London? This is not democratic, fair, or equitable.

Islington residents deserve better from elected representatives who appear to be steam-rolling ahead no matter what the outcomes of the consultation or, indeed, the petition of about 16,000 signatories against “people-friendly streets”.

Having thoroughly read the St Peter’s people-friendly streets Trial Public Consultation and Engagement Analysis, it is clear from the results presented that only 24 per cent of resident feedback suggested road closures except for cycles and buses. A massive 76 per cent did not.

If in the consultation results you add the responses stating there was “No change” or “Less” the feedback can be presented totally differently.

The council have chosen to totally ignore respondents who advise these measures have made “No change” or “Less”.

I set out just one example:

I feel LESS safe OR NO CHANGE using the street at night = 59%

I feel LESS safe OR NO CHANGE using the street in the day = 52%

The streets look LESS nice OR NO CHANGE = 47%

The air is LESS clean OR NO CHANGE = 48%

I can practise social distancing LESS OR NO CHANGE = 52%

I socialise with neighbours LESS OR NO CHANGE = 62%

I spend time in the area LESS OR NO CHANGE = 57%

I do physical activity outdoors (play, running, exercise) LESS OR NO CHANGE = 53%

If you also add the percentages given for “doesn’t apply” these figures are higher.

“Doesn’t apply” could translate as a disability / vulnerability where, for example, respondents are perhaps housebound, aren’t able to use the streets, practise social distancing, or do physical activities, and yet they, too, are disregarded even though it is clear that total percentages that are negative are higher than those that are positive.

The report also states two-fifths (40 per cent) of respondents stated they walk or cycle more to local shops (compared with 13 per cent who have done this less).

The survey results actually show that 54 per cent say there is no change or that they do so less.

The report also says that 30 per cent of respondents state they walk or cycle more for shorter journeys instead of driving when, in fact, 38 per cent state their habits haven’t changed, 12 per cent walk or cycle less and a massive 20 per cent stated that it doesn’t apply. This equates to a huge 70 per cent who do not walk and cycle more!

Turning to business responses in the area to the question “What would benefit your business,” 50 per cent of these responses suggested opening roads / allowing traffic to businesses, 14 per cent suggested access for taxis, and 9 per cent suggested access for business / delivery vehicles.

These responses surely show the negative effect LTNs are having on businesses within St Peter’s. And still the council is failing them also.

Cllr Rowena Champion, executive member for environment and transport, said: “Islington’s streets belong to local people, and we’ve introduced people-friendly streets… to help create the cleaner, greener, and healthier borough they’ve long been calling for”.

Yes, the streets do belong to local people, and local people and businesses have shown their disapproval. So what is going on here?

They are not achieving the desired outcomes, traffic evaporation has not happened, businesses are suffering, residents have shown disapproval through petitions, demonstrations and via the consultation.

The council plan a total of 21 LTNs in Islington using the council budget. Islington Labour has lost my vote.

PATRICIA NICLAS, N1