Documents obtained by a campaign group suggest that Transport Secretary Mark Harper and the government have not blocked councils from installing low-traffic neighbourhoods (LTNs), despite their claims.

The news, reported in The Guardian today, comes after Transport Action Network (Tan), the campaign group currently taking legal action against the government over cuts to active travel budgets, got hold of documents which showed Active Travel England’s decision-making process regarding applications for funding from councils for low-traffic schemes.

Exeter LTN bollards (picture credit Devon County Council)
Exeter LTN bollards (picture credit Devon County Council) (Image Credit: Farrelly Atkinson)

And while in May of last year some newspapers and media figures were briefed that ministers had blocked money for LTNs — designed to promote cycling and walking by preventing through-traffic on certain routes, either through the use of cameras or physical barriers — this claim that funding had been stripped or blocked is reportedly not seen in the papers.

> How to save a low-traffic neighbourhood: Overcoming hecklers, “dodgy” data, and political intrigue as councillors prevent early scrapping of active streets trial

Rather, the applications show that the lack of funding approved for LTNs was in fact because none of the schemes that wanted Department for Transport money were deemed to be of high enough quality, while “a series” of applications by councils to Active Travel England were rejected due to being insufficiently ambitious. Harper had no role in the decision, the documents suggest.

The transport secretary repeated his assertion about blocking funding for LTNs in July 2023, during an interview in which he blamed the “controversial” schemes for setting “people against each other”.

Railton LTN (picture credit TfL)
Railton LTN (picture credit TfL) (Image Credit: TfL)

He said the schemes were “banning” cars and “making it difficult for motorists”, rhetoric that culminated two months later with Rishi Sunak and Harper telling their party’s conference of their “proudly pro-car” status and unveiling a ‘Plan for Motorists’ to end the so-called “war on motorists”.

> Rishi Sunak’s ‘Plan for Motorists’ will ‘rob people of choice’ and force them to drive, say cycling and walking campaigners

Harper said his government would review guidance on 20mph speed limits in England and opposes their blanket use, would continue the review into low-traffic neighbourhoods, and aims “to stop councils implementing 15-minute cities”, pledges that left Cycling UK to accuse the Conservatives of an “ill-fated attempt to win” votes that would be “undermining” active travel success.

Peter Walker, the newspaper’s deputy political editor, also reported that other internal documents showed that DfT officials warned ministers that actively banning LTNs or other measures, such as 20mph speed limits, would be extremely difficult.

Cyclist LTN planter, Hackney London (by Adwitiya Pal)
Cyclist next to an LTN planter (Image Credit: Adwitiya Pal)

“Legal powers do exist, but the bar for their use is set very high and they have not to our knowledge ever been exercised,” one senior official reportedly wrote.

Tan’s director Chris Todd said the latest update shows “we can’t trust the Tories to make our streets safer”.

> “Crackpot conspiracy theory” led to government slashing active travel funding

In October the High Court granted his campaign group a legal challenge to the government’s active travel budget cuts, as ministers were forced to concede that they were aware of the “devastating” impact that the decision to slash the budget would have.

Commenting on the information seen in the documents, Todd said: “Reviewing recent LTNs is a great way to learn how to make new ones even better, and give people more choices to walk, wheel and cycle. But these latest revelations of ministers making it up as they go show we can’t trust the Tories to make our streets safer.”

Arnold Circus LTN (via Bob From Accounts on Twitter)
Arnold Circus LTN (via Bob From Accounts on Twitter) (Image Credit: Farrelly Atkinson)

A DfT spokesperson commented: “It is important that people who choose to walk and cycle are able to do so safely, but this should not come at the cost of people who rely on cars or prevent the emergency services from accessing roads. That is why we are reviewing low-traffic neighbourhoods, and none were funded in the latest round of active travel funding.”

Comments from emergency services about such schemes refutes the idea suggested above that schemes could “prevent emergency services from accessing roads”.

In March 2021, the London Fire Brigade said LTNs have had no impact on response times, while police in Bethnal Green last year urged Tower Hamlets Borough Council not to scrap a Liveable Streets LTN scheme, saying that it has resulted in a reduction in antisocial behaviour-related crime.