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LTN planter on fire in Rochdale LTN planters overturned and set on fire by vandals on the first day of trial
Vandals have targeted LTN planters in Deeplish, Rochdale on the first day of their installation, overturning and setting them alight.
The traffic filtering scheme was introduced by the Rochdale Borough Council as a part of the Milkstone and Deeplish Active Neighbourhood in February this year, on a six-month trial period.
The new planters had been installed for just a day when a few people decided to take matters into their hand and indulge in arson.
Following a consultation in 2021 which received “area-wide support for highway changes”, the council decided to implement the measures on a trial basis.
This is not the first time vandals have used fire to get rid of LTN filters. Last year, a ‘civil war’ ensued in Oxford as bollards and planters were repeatedly targeted, when half of the planters and bollards were ripped out in less than 24 hours of their installation, with people using power tools to cut them down.
A few months before this in March, another road user rammed it off the road where it was stopping motorists drive past a primary school.
Moreover, anti-LTN groups on Facebook have previously threatened arson, which became a reality in July, when a group of hooded men set fire to the bollards in Iffley, Oxford at night, melting them down to a black gunk of metal.
Oxford has introduced Low Traffic Neighbourhoods to enhance people's quality of life. But there's a small group of antisocial men who resent any restraint on where they can drive. Their tactics have become ever more extreme. Last night they resorted to arson. pic.twitter.com/zSSzhWjStw
— George Monbiot (@GeorgeMonbiot) July 4, 2022
Rochdale’s episode seems to have been in more than one location. On the Facebook post with the video, with people commenting similar incidents happening in Ashfield Road and Durham Street nearby.
The post, as expected, drew reactionary comments from people who couldn’t hide their joy at the act. “We need to find and thank the hero what has done this” wrote one person, while another commented: “Reaction is good its time we take over the country back”.
A few people also argued that the Active Neighbourhood was the latest step in locking them in “the 15-minute prisons”.
Schemes like these have been labelled as ‘controversial’ by some in other parts of Greater Manchester, with Manchester Evening News reporting that modal filters in Longford Park, Stretford were ‘incredibly divisive’ for the community. However, in the council’s consultation, a majority of the public voted in favour of the low traffic network.
There were quite a few, though, who expressed their shock and concern at the event. A Manchester photographer wrote on Twitter: “This is shocking, but has happened elsewhere. Please hope Councillors and Rochdale Council stay strong. Near me similar happened nr [sic] Longford Park. Thankfully the trial was allowed to happen & residents backed it. Now all is settled and those roads are no longer rat runs.”
> Anti-LTN vandals won't intimidate us, says Chris Boardman
Similar events took place in Levenshulme, Greater Manchester as well, with drivers literally ramming the planters down. Thankfully, they were swiftly repaired by the community and bolted down.
Teething problems, or initial hostility towards filters, is widely documented, and is evidenced by the fact that these vandalism acts take place very soon after the bollards or planters are installed.
Residents have been out again to restore filters that have been vandalised.
This evening a large truck is going round the neighbourhood ramming planters.
What are you going to do about it @ManCityCouncil? pic.twitter.com/iPkfrIS0FB
— Streets for People - Levenshulme and Burnage (@s4plb) January 6, 2021
🔥 Change isn’t easy.
Most want it, and silently assume the right things will be done for the benefit of all, even if it takes a bit of getting used to.
A few won’t like it - until it beds in.
A handful will break the law.
It’s still the right thing to do. 🔥 https://t.co/95jdILYzZH
— Walk Ride GM (@WalkRideGM) March 24, 2023
Tom Jeff commented on Facebook: “What you need to understand is that it'll take a couple of weeks for these changes to become widely known, after which point the fuss will die down. Local residents will appreciate the improved safety and much quieter streets. The vandals will go elsewhere (you don't think these are the only laws they break do you?) and life will return to normal. Except it'll be more pleasant.”
“No matter how much vandalism these criminals cause, as they're speeding around your residential roads, the council will just keep spending your money repairing the damage they cause. Until finally, they're made permanent.”
Amidst all this mess, Harry Gray from Salford, Manchester perhaps provided a fresh breath of sanity: “If you feel like telling Rochdale council how angry you are a small minority of thugs can destroy a scheme that the many are in favour of. Send them an email here: highways [at] rochdale.gov.uk.”
Adwitiya joined road.cc in 2023 as a news writer after graduating with a masters in journalism from Cardiff University. His dissertation focused on active travel, which soon threw him into the deep end of covering everything related to the two-wheeled tool, and now cycling is as big a part of his life as guitars and football. He has previously covered local and national politics for Voice Wales, and also likes to writes about science, tech and the environment, if he can find the time. Living right next to the Taff trail in the Welsh capital, you can find him trying to tackle the brutal climbs in the valleys.
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41 comments
I wish southerners had this spirit in them, especially in London.
Good on you!!!!! 👍
Stumbled across this on fb https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=227313639813797&set=a.124485700096592
There are either many, many nutters out there, or a couple of petrolheads typing furiously in their bedrooms. The comments vary from the completely imbecilic to mildly amusing nonsense.
There seems to be a strong crossover between anti-LTN thinking and anti-vaxxers.
And indeed other conspiracists; at the recent anti-LTN demos in Haringay and Oxford there was a significant number of "I will not bow to the WEF New World Order" type placards.
The madness that seems to surround the idea of being able to walk to get to most of what you need...
Conspiracy by the Freemans (and their Clarks) - to sell us more shoes, innit? It's a battle for the soles of this once proud (checks) Bridgestone-sporting nation! Once they've got their foot in the door they'll have you wearing sandals next...
What if you can't walk or have medical conditions which affect your mobility and require you to have a car for:
1. Getting to/from medical appointments.
2. Daily life activities.
3. Visitiy family & friends.
Then you can use your car for that, and be very happy that getting places is loads quicker for you because other people are able to walk, resulting in significantly less traffic on the roads.
One might even find that they are able to do some things without the car, resulting in improved quality of life for them.
Indeed. And as our newest little friend has ignored not all people with mobility issues can drive (cars aren't even that convenient to get into for some). Once you've got some more car free space it's turns out that it's good for a lot more people's independence:
https://bicycledutch.wordpress.com/2012/12/06/who-else-benefits-from-the...
https://bicycledutch.wordpress.com/2018/07/03/inclusive-cycling-on-tricy...
It must be car-shaped / further to go with your wheelchair? No problem, take one of these, you can still use the bike paths:
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canta_(vehicle)
Since I'm sure this isn't just a case of "selective concern" or baiting I'm sure they'll already know of the fascinating range of special-purpose vehicles for those the standard car doesn't work for (some of which are also "micro-vehicles"):
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cars_for_wheelchair_users
Keep going, nearly half of my bingo card already full with only a single post from you. You're a valuable addition to this forum.
Indeed, 15 minute cities should be banned, henceforth all housing must be at least 20 minutes away walk from any amenity.
I reckon it's easier for the anti-15-minute-cities people to just walk slower and thus their facilities may be more than half an hour away
maybe they already do.
You can add Brexiters to that list. What do they all have in common?
Rejection of facts and evidence in favour of an emotional narrative.
Prioritisation of selfish wants over the good of society.
Callous disregard for anyone poorer or more vulnerable than they are.
Oh great - sounds like another call for a pointless 100-post thread!
Do you just mean the "bad boys of Brexit" or are you picking a fight with (checks notes) 17,410,742 people out of an electorate of 46,500,001 (12,948,018 didn't vote / ballot rejected)?
EDIT - I don't think it's Brexiteers (however defined) particularly attacking planters - I bet it's equal-opportunity grievance with some odd locals plus a miscellaneous bag of vaguely "they're taking our rights" types.
Let us know if you've evidence for the your theory though.
I suspect someone has taken that as a challenge! 🤣
Nice bit of pointless baiting.
I'm sure the moderators will be along any second now to deal with it...
No need... I've mentioned this before, that there's absolutely no correlation between left/right wing politics (all all shades in between) and the beliefs of remaining in or leaving the EU.
It takes all of 60 seconds to think of a few Brexiteers that don't fit the steroeotypes described, Jeremy Corbyn, Mick Lynch, Tony Benn.
Seems like sweeping generalisations are OK sometimes.
PS - Jeremy Clarkson campaigned for remain in 2016.
You certainly can't assume someone's political affiliation by their opinion on Brexit, but with 63% of Labour voters, 70% of LibDem voters and 75% of Green voters voting Remain whilst only 42% of Conservative voters did I don't think it's true to say there's "absolutely no correlation".
Take that plants! Serves you right for making the neighbourhood a marginally more pleasant place to be. Bloody woke vegetation.
Hmm, then they need to plant some right wing vegetation for balance.
We break the law and burn property. Sure we can be trusted to drive through your neighbourhood.
Fuckers.
It's a car-dominated dump of a place. There's not one single safe comfortable route from Rochdale to Heywood and to Bury. Not a single one, despite the roads being as wide as Manchester Airport's runway.
Absolutely, but half the problem is the utter lack of enforcement by the police of close passes and other dangerous driving.
Also historically a bit of a lack of ambition (as lots of roads that have space for lanes without significantly reducing traffic flow) but there were signs this was changing.
GMP have improved markedly in that area, I think Sarah Storey might have something to do with that. But unfortunately it requires you to spend money on a camera.
Arson is one of those crimes that attracts very long prison sentences. That'd be hilarious.
"What are you in for?"
"Murder, you?"
"Don't like walking"
Rochdale is a deeply unpleasant town to cycle around, let alone walk. It's full of terraced streets chock full of parked cars. Massive 20th-century dual carriageways everywhere. St Mary's Gate is horrific, just look at the paucity of pedestrian facilities here. How do you cross?
https://www.google.com/maps/@53.617118,-2.1615567,3a,71.6y,102h,83.92t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sRjpglvuzIE7QW6N3CXroaA!2e0!7i16384!8i8192?hl=en
It's bloody awful. You get on the cycleway over Healey Dell Viaduct and the moment you cross into Rossendale, the surface turns from muddy gravel and brick to lovely smooth fine gravel.
It's a car-dominated dump of a place. There's not one single safe comfortable route from Rochdale to Heywood and to Bury. Not a single one, despite the roads being as wide as Manchester Airport's runway.
I hope the councillors hold firm and do the right thing. If they bottle this I think they can forget ever getting any more active travel funding.
Definitely. This is all heart-breaking, especially as this AN is one of only one or two of the TfGM schemes not to be abandoned (as the ones in Oldham/Prestwich etc were). I gather there's a meeting early next week to discuss what happens now but the council are definitely saying that antisocial behaviour can't stop the trial.
Some councillors making the right noises but then there are others who are just needlessly obstructive.
As always if you've any interest in active travel it's worth getting involved in your local group (even if that's just sending the odd email and responding to consultations) - if anyone is in Rochdale, please contact WalkRideRochdale via Twitter, or if you're in GM and want pointing in the right direction.
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