Lambeth LTN to be removed immediately, court rules

Cameras, planters or lockable bollards are used to slow traffic

A low-traffic neighbourhood (LTN) scheme in south London must be removed with immediate effect, following an order by the High Court.

Lambeth Council was told in May that the way the LTN in West Dulwich had been implemented was unlawful. The ruling was not in relation to the effectiveness or impact of the scheme itself.

LTNs aim to reduce motor traffic in residential areas by using either cameras, planters or lockable bollards.

The West Dulwich Action Group (WDAG), which brought the legal challenge, described the ruling as " a wake-up call to councils everywhere" but supporters such as Better Street Dulwich said the LTN made streets "much safer" for pedestrians and cyclists.

Lambeth Council has been denied permission to appeal against the decision, and must also pay £35,000 towards the legal costs incurred by WDAG.

The action group said questions must now be asked about the revenue raised by penalising motorists who contravened the LTN rules - and whether the more-than £1m total raised in penalty notices will have to be repaid.

A WDAG spokesperson said the group had called upon Lambeth Council to clarify whether it would issue refunds.

"This is not just about legality — it's about fairness and public trust. If the law was broken, the money should be paid back," the spokesperson said.

"This case should never have gone to court. It could have been resolved through proper, respectful dialogue. Instead, Lambeth chose to defend litigation over listening — and the public has paid for it."

'Sense of community'

Reacting to the news, Andrew Hanson from Better Streets West Dulwich said they were "very disappointed".

Mr Hanson, whose partner Anna Goodman is an academic involved in research on LTNs, which was used by Lambeth Council, said: "We are in favour of making travel in the area safer."

Mr Hanson said the group felt the ruling had been made based on "narrow ground", and "a fairly minor point", which he said they hoped the council could rectify before reintroducing the LTN.

He said the restrictions made the area "much safer for children, and for people who are walking and cycling".

He added: "It brings a greater sense of community – it's much easier to talk to your neighbours when there aren't 200 cars an hour going past your front door."

Mr Hanson said the roads within the LTN were "never intended to take these volumes of traffic", adding: "Frankly, I think the LTN has been working fairly well.

"It's a real shame that a small but very vocal group has managed to make enough noise to push us to where we are now."

In response to the decision, Lambeth Council said it "remained committed to delivering our programme to reduce road danger for those most at risk and make our streets calmer, more community-friendly places".

It added: "The High Court has ordered the removal of West Dulwich street improvements. No further fines will be issued, and we are removing the scheme as soon as it can be done safely."