It’s a truth many struggle to accept, but in London cars have become killers.
Almost 23,000 road collisions were reported in the capital in 2023, resulting in over 100 deaths. Add to that deaths from congestion-induced air pollution and it’s clear that cities like London are too densely populated to cope with current numbers of vehicles.
You already know this though, we all do. Measure after measure has been introduced to mitigate the impact of vehicles on our city, with measures like ULEZ sparking ferocious backlash.
Low Traffic Neighbourhoods (LTNs) were one of the most controversial measures introduced. The areas restrict traffic by using bollards and planters to reduce through traffic and encourage vehicles to avoid residential places, making them safer for pedestrians.
Some have claimed that LTNs are ‘anti car’, while Motoring groups say they’re ineffective and outsource danger to main roads by making them busier and more congested.
The arguments have been fierce – nothing winds people up more than discussions about what they can and can’t do in their back yard – but there is nothing left to debate: Low Traffic Neighbourhoods work.
A study published this week has revealed that London’s LTNs have cut road injuries and deaths by more than a third within their boundaries in the last twelve years, without increasing casualties on nearby roads.
Academics compared road collision statistics between areas with LTNs and those without over time, and found that 600 road injuries, including 100 involving death or serious injury, could have been prevented if LTNs had been in place. That’s the equivalent of an entire year’s worth of road casualties in London.
The numbers speak for themselves: supporting LTNs isn’t anti-motorist, it’s pro-life
The numbers speak for themselves: supporting LTNs isn’t anti-motorist, it’s pro-life.
The efficacy of the measure can no longer be credibly questioned, so it’s time we started implementing them across London and at pace. With so many lives at stake we cannot afford not to.
While the city won’t and shouldn’t be completely car free – some people need vehicles for accessibility purposes – the direction of travel is clear. Motorists need to accept that their days cruising the streets of London are numbered.
I’m sure they won’t welcome this, but if London is going to be fit for the future then we need to phase cars out as much as possible – a process which LTNs are an important part of.
In addition to the huge number of lives which will be saved by avoiding road traffic collisions, reducing the number of cars in London will be transformative for air quality, allowing us all to live longer, happier, healthier lives.
Fewer cars also frees up areas for much needed green space, which will further improve air quality and make London a more open and enjoyable city to live in, with less long-term respiratory illness. Green space also mitigates the effects of climate change and enhances our wellbeing, reducing the likelihood of heat- and stress-related illness, and flood risk.
My ‘Rewild My Street’ project aims to reintroduce nature into our cities, for the benefit of the people who live in them and the environment. LTNs are an important part of this and need to be recognised not as an inconvenience, but as something which will make London cleaner, greener and safer in the long term. Besides, LTNs will save lives among other species, when road accidents are a leading cause of death for urban wildlife, including hedgehogs, foxes and birds.
It’s not like there’s no alternative to driving. While it’s far from perfect, London has a reliable mass transit network of tubes, buses and trains, and it’s expanding all the time. New additions like the Elizabeth Line and the Superloop bus network have proven overwhelmingly popular, despite the reservations of some very vocal campaign groups. There’s more to come too, with Bakerloop buses coming soon, and major infrastructure projects like HS2 set to make London better connected than ever in the next decade.
I know public transport isn’t for everyone, but as London evolves our habits need to evolve with it, especially when it comes to transport.
Yes, an LTN might mean it takes more time to get to work, and may even push you towards taking the tube, but the sacrifice is small compared with those who’ve lost their lives due to road traffic collisions and air pollution problems.
Sometimes blunt, bold action is the only way to save lives – this week’s research into LTNs proves it. So, there’s no point waiting. It’s time to put our foot down and accelerate the rollout of LTNs.
Siân Moxon is Associate Professor of Sustainable Architecture at London Metropolitan University
