Thank you for contacting me about low-traffic neighbourhoods (LTNs).
Local councils are responsible for traffic on their roads, including implementing measures such as LTNs. LTNs were intended to make residential streets safer for pedestrians and cyclists, by restricting cars and vans from using them as short cuts. However, I know that there has been concern that they are overly restrictive, or do not meet the needs of local residents.
As a result, the Government has published draft statutory guidance for councils on low traffic neighbourhoods, setting out that they must gain buy-in from local residents, businesses and emergency services when considering implementing new LTN schemes. Local authorities could engage the community through in-person events, online platforms, and leaflet drops to ensure the involvement of the whole community.
The new guidance raises expected standards for LTNs. It will come into force this summer when local authorities will be obliged to consider it when shaping new and existing schemes. Local authorities are expected to follow the guidance and ensure local people support their plans. If local authorities fail to deliver sensible road schemes that work for local people, they could see future funding withdrawn. Under powers from the Traffic Management Act, the government could take control of an authority’s roads in circumstances where they are deemed to be widely mismanaged. The action taken on LTNs is supported by a wide-ranging review that highlighted only 13 per cent of residents have responded to councils’ planning consultations on LTNs, and just 18 per cent feel that their views have influenced council decisions.
The Guidance for the implementation of LTNs can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/implementing-low-traffic-nei…
Thank you again for taking the time to contact me.