The Royal Borough of Greenwich has invited local residents and businesses to voice their concerns at a scrutiny meeting next Wednesday, 31 July, during which Cllr Averil Lekau will be questioned regarding her decision to implement low traffic neighbourhoods (LTNs) across West and East Greenwich.
The meeting, initially scheduled for May but postponed due to the General Election, was arranged after several councillors challenged Cllr Lekau’s decision to move forward with the rollout of LTNs, despite significant concerns and overwhelming rejection of the proposals by up to 79 per cent of respondents who completed the council's consultation.
Conservative councillor for Mottingham, Coldharbour & New Eltham, Matt Hartley, and Labour councillors Lakshan Saldin (Charlton Hornfair), Leo Fletcher (Blackheath Westcombe), and Maisie Richards Cottell (East Greenwich) submitted their challenges via a call-in on 14 March.
Labour councillors objected to decisions including the removal of effective traffic calming measures on Park Vista and closing off Cade Road to through traffic in West Greenwich, as well as the placement of automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) cameras on Maze Hill in East Greenwich, requesting them to be repositioned to allow residents to move more freely.
Concerns raised by Cllr Hartley (pictured above) included the council’s failure to fully consider the impact the trial scheme would have on boundary roads and neighbouring areas, such as Charlton and Blackheath, as well as the failure to implement plans to ensure the scheme’s efficiency would be monitored before or after its implementation.
Since approving the scheme, Cllr Lekau, below, who serves as Cabinet member for climate change, environment, and transport, has continued to receive criticism for failing to provide any evidence that the scheme would reduce car use and promote active travel, despite claims that her decision was ‘evidence-based.’
Other concerns include prioritising cyclists over pedestrians inside proposed LTNs, on bus routes and on boundary roads, as well as the impact the scheme would have on essential journeys made by local businesses and carers.
Additionally, no consideration has been given to steep gradients inside the planned LTNs, which are far beyond safe recommendations for wheelchair users. The nature of the steep hills would also present issues for other protected characteristics travelling on foot, such as elderly and pregnant people and those with children in buggies and prams.
The council's transport team has also been criticised for making false and misleading claims about emergency services, including its engagement with them and how proposals due to be implemented would impact emergency response times.
The same team was also recently told by the Local Government Ombudsman (LGO) to formally apologise and compensate a disabled resident after failing to acknowledge their concerns over the impact LTNs would have.
Residents and businesses are now being encouraged to attend the scrutiny meeting next Wednesday, 31 July at 6:30pm in rooms 3 and 4 of Woolwich Town Hall, either to observe or put their questions or concerns to Cllr Lekau.
Anyone wishing to speak is invited to do so for up to two minutes and will be required to register in advance by contacting committees@royalgreenwich.gov.uk by 5 pm next Tuesday, 30 July.