At yesterday’s Mayor’s Question Time, Caroline Russell AM spoke in support of the benefits of Low Traffic Neighbourhoods (LTNs) in London, and in Tower Hamlets specifically. Caroline pushed the Mayor to use his powers set out in the GLA Act 1999 to insist local authorities implement and keep Healthy Streets schemes.
Their exchange comes after the judicial review found Tower Hamlets Council had acted lawfully in deciding to remove three LTNs. [1]
In response to Caroline’s questioning, the Mayor acknowledged that although a “borough may do the wrong thing in one part ...they may do the right thing in other parts of the borough. That's why withdrawing money from the council may be counter-productive, because [...] we don’t want to punish residents in relation to a council not being able to do the right things in other parts of the borough.”
Responding to this wobbly stance, Green Party London Assembly Member Caroline Russell, said:
"We know from TfL’s Travel in London review that your MTS targets are not on track fully to be met. It's your Transport Strategy that sets the direction. And if the boroughs don't achieve the outcomes that are required, the GLA act does give you, the Mayor, the power to actually take over from the boroughs.
“Now, just holding back on funding to certain boroughs, or letting them take out schemes that are paid for with LIP [Local Implementation Plan] money, would mean too many Londoners being denied safe conditions for walking and cycling.”
To view the full exchange, please click here.
Notes to editors
On 7 November 2024, Caroline Russell AM submitted a petition to the Mayor, signed by 3,300 people, asking him to block Tower Hamlets Council from removing the Low Traffic Neighbourhoods in Bethnal Green and Shoreditch.