Carry out an independent review into Low Traffic Neighbourhoods (LTNs)
15,906 people signed this petition to the UK Parliament after it opened on 9 February 2023; it closed on 9 August 2023. The Government responded on 25 April 2023. MPs debated it in Westminster Hall on 20 May 2024.
The petition
The petition's creator is not named in the Petitions site's published record. Quoted in full from the UK Parliament petitions site.
Carry out an independent review into Low Traffic Neighbourhoods (LTNs)
The review should look at, but not be limited to, possible benefits and disbenefits they might have to the local and wider area where they are introduced. This should including pollution, road safety, mental wellbeing, effects on the vulnerable, and congestion. Both inside and outside an LTN.
Many residents that live on the boundaries of these LTNs experience increased congestion, road traffic accidents, pollution, damage to their mental wellbeing, and feel like they are not being listened to or consulted.
The Government's response
The Government published its response on 25 April 2023; the petitions site lists the Department for Transport as responsible. Its summary:
The Government is already carrying out an evaluation of active travel schemes funded in 2020/21, including LTNs. It has no plans to commission a further review until this has concluded.
The opening 394 words of the 428-word response:
Responsibility for traffic management on local roads rests with the relevant local authority as they are best placed to consider how local needs can be effectively met. It is entirely a matter for individual authorities to decide on the nature and scope of policies. The Government, through the Department for Transport, is responsible for setting legislation and for providing guidance to local traffic authorities but has limited direct influence over locally managed roads. Ultimately, Ministers will make decisions relating to matters of Departmental policy.
To help local authorities make safe provision for pedestrians and cyclists during COVID-19 and to mitigate the lack of capacity on public transport due to social distancing, the Department launched the Emergency Active Travel Fund (EATF). This funding was designed to help local authorities create an environment that is safe for both walking and cycling, allowing people to get around whilst maintaining social distance while also aiding longer term increases in walking and cycling along with the associated health, air quality and congestion benefits. Some local authorities decided to implement temporary LTNs as part of this programme. Many of these were made permanent as part of later funding rounds, where authorities considered that the schemes were working effectively. A number were also removed.
The Government has been clear that traffic management schemes should always be developed through consultation and engagement with local communities. As a condition of receiving funding provided by Active Travel England (ATE), all local authorities are required to undertake consultation, and monitoring and evaluation work, to ensure that schemes meet the needs of the local area and the people that live there. ATE is an Executive Agency of the Department for Transport.
In order to better understand the impact of this funding, the Department has appointed contractors to undertake a review of schemes funded through the second tranche of active travel funding, including a deep dive into the impact of segregated cycle lanes and low traffic neighbourhoods. This is being delivered through a call-off contract let in February 2021 after a fair and open competition run in line with the Public Contracts Regulations 2015. Until this work is completed, the Government has no plans to commission a further review.
The results of the review will be published in due course. Once research has been conducted, policy decisions will ultimately be for Ministers to take.
Department for Transport
Read the full response on the petitions site.
Where the signatures came from
Signatures came from 611 constituencies on the boundaries used until the 2024 general election. The largest number, 927, came from Lewisham East.
15,871 of the signatures were from the UK and 35 from elsewhere, by the location signers gave.
| Constituency | Signatures |
|---|---|
| Lewisham East | 927 |
| Dulwich and West Norwood | 884 |
| Oxford East | 693 |
| Streatham | 529 |
| Enfield, Southgate | 519 |
| Brentford and Isleworth | 518 |
| Islington South and Finsbury | 483 |
| Warrington North | 441 |
| Tottenham | 431 |
| Hackney North and Stoke Newington | 372 |
| Region | Signatures |
|---|---|
| London | 10,326 |
| South East | 1,959 |
| North West | 968 |
| East of England | 712 |
| South West | 565 |
| West Midlands | 463 |
| Yorkshire and The Humber | 194 |
| East Midlands | 179 |
| North East | 168 |
| Wales | 139 |
| Scotland | 115 |
| Northern Ireland | 11 |
Debate in Parliament
MPs debated the petition in Westminster Hall on 20 May 2024. Read the debate in Hansard. House of Commons Library debate pack.
Source and receipt
- https://petition.parliament.uk/archived/petitions/632748.jsonUK Parliament Petitions API · read 2026-10-15 · SHA-256
1180ec7804f75fee… - The petition on petition.parliament.uk
The petition's words are its creator's and the response is the Government's; this site quotes both and gives no view on either. Signature counts can still change while a petition is open. To report an error, send a correction request.