KEEP ISLINGTON MOVING
Say No to Low Traffic Neighbourhoods (LTNs)
What We're About
We oppose the Islington LTN programme, aka "Liveable Neighbourhoods" or "People Friendly Streets". We believe it is a misguided initiative, poorly implemented, to address a problem which is at best exaggerated and at worst dangerously misconstrued. The costs of the programme, especially in terms of unintended consequences, hugely outweigh the benefits. Many of Islington’s constituencies, including some of the most vulnerable, will be severely disadvantaged and the unique character of Islington itself will be compromised. The programme should now be halted, re-evaluated and if necessary reversed. It should not be extended to other wards, if at all, until such re-evaluation is complete.
Why We Feel This Way
These are the main reasons we think the current LTN programme is bad for the majority of people who live and work in Islington:
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Congestion on main thoroughfares, aka "boundary roads", caused by traffic diverted from residential streets.
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Other traffic restrictions, such as inappropriate cycle lanes and the obstruction of bus routes, which undermine the Keep Islington Moving objective.
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As a result, loss of freedom of mobility, and longer journey times, both within and also into and out of Islington, resulting in increased pollution.
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Economic decline due to the adverse effects of LTNs on all local tradespeople and small businesses which rely on motorised transport to make a living.
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Cultural decline, as Islington is transformed from a lively, exciting, mixed-economy inner city neighbourhood into a dull dormitory suburb.
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Adverse effects on some of Islington's most disadvantaged groups: the old, the infirm, those who live on main roads and those who rely on emergency services.
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Disfigurement of Islington's uniquely attractive environment though the ugly "street furniture" of LTNs.
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A deeply divided community.
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Monetary costs. These are huge and include:
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Costs of implementation by the Council
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Costs incurred by small businesses through a decline in trade or increased travelling time
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Costs incurred by motorists in fines and higher fuel consumption
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With respect to the specific case of the Barnsbury conservation area, we believe this to already have a relatively green and highly attractive residential core and a lively mixed-economy boundary with free movement of traffic; this must be preserved.
Our Network.
One of the main objectives of Keep Islington Moving (KIM) is to link together a network of individuals and organisations who share a common belief that the Council's LTN programme is misguided and bad for Islington as a whole. The website is intended to equip this network with reliable information and other resources, to support a range of projects which may be focused on different areas within Islington, or different aspects of urban planning, but are all designed to Keep Islington Moving. One such project is to understand and if necessary halt the initiative currently underway under the "LIveable Neighbourhoods" umbrella to extend the LTN programme to Barnsbury.
Our sister site KHM is probably the best source of statistics on how an Islington LTN programme has failed.
Neighbourhood forum on LTNs
The politics of LTNs are complex. Although the Council is strongly labour, it was Boris Johnson and Grant Shapps who initially funded LTN programmes across the UK. But Islington Conservatives have fought LTNs from the start, and continue to do so as you can see on their website.