High Court rules removing low traffic zones in Tower Hamlets was lawful

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The High Court has ruled that the removal of three Low Traffic Neighbourhoods (LTNs) in Tower Hamlets is lawful.

The campaign group Save Our Safer Streets (SOSS) took Lutfur Rahman, the Mayor of Tower Hamlets, to the High Court, accusing him of unlawfully trying to get rid of the LTNs last year.

Rahman’s successful legal challenge means that the controversial schemes to control traffic in east London will be axed.

Rahman said: “I welcome the High Court’s ruling that the Council followed the proper procedures.

“We had a responsibility to fulfil the democratic mandate from voters in the May 2022 election to reopen these three roads, and we also held further consultations to ensure the views of all affected residents were considered.

“While LTNs improve air quality in their immediate vicinity, the previous Labour administration’s botched implementation of LTNs in Tower Hamlets caused traffic congestion on main roads.

“This led to complaints about increased air pollution and negative impacts on the health of many who live on main roads, which are predominantly working-class households."

Jane Harris from SOSS said: “The Low Traffic Neighbourhoods are a major success story in a deprived area of London, virtually eliminating serious road injuries and improving air quality inside and outside the schemes.

“We believed that there were serious flaws in the way the Mayor decided to remove them. We remain convinced that the Mayor of Tower Hamlets’ proposal will be expensive, unpopular, harmful to residents’ health and safety, and it will jeopardise the Mayor of London’s transport strategy.”

In light of today’s verdict, campaigners have warned that the court’s decision could have broader implications for similar traffic schemes across the capital.

The campaign group has until January to decide whether or not they want to put in an application to the Court of Appeal and they are now asking for people to join their campaign.

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