London LTNs: Plans to ban through-traffic from most Hackney roads

The council says it hopes all motorised traffic in the borough will "transition" to low emission or electric vehicles in the future

Plans are under way to ban motorised through-traffic from 75% of a London borough's roads in an expansion of low traffic neighbourhoods (LTNs).

As part of Hackney council's three-year local implementation plan, various traffic restrictions and schemes will be rolled out across the borough.

Transport for London funding has been secured for the proposals, but public consultations still need to be held.

It follows a move by Islington council to cut traffic on 70% of its roads.

Hackney is now aiming to introduce more bike hangars, electric vehicle charging points, car sharing and dockless bikes as part of proposals in the area.

It also wants to implement "school streets", which restrict traffic at drop-off times, at all Hackney primary schools, with the goal to expand the programme to secondaries.

Nearly 50 school streets in Hackney are already closed to motorised traffic at the start and end of the school day.

Campaigners have previously fought against the expansion of LTNs in the borough, which they say "exacerbate" problems on neighbouring roads

Hackney council said transport contributed 21% of carbon emissions in the north London borough, but it had seen a 38% drop in traffic in LTNs.

The council's website says its LTNs aim to reduce through-traffic and that cyclists, emergency vehicles and waste vehicles are permitted to pass through, along with Blue Badge holders and residents in some LTN zones. 

In a statement, a spokesperson said: "We would like to see all motorised traffic transition to low emission vehicles or electric vehicles."

'Doing everything we can'

Mete Coban, Hackney council's cabinet member for environment and transport, said the authority was "doing everything we can to build a greener, healthier Hackney" so that "nearly all of Hackney will be low traffic".

However, LTNs have been controversial in Hackney, with campaign group Stop Horrendous Hackney Road Closures taking the council to court in an unsuccessful bid to stop them.

Earlier this month, the group successfully raised enough funds for the £10,000 costs it was ordered to pay following the court case.

Some residents living outside LTNs have also said they have seen increases in traffic in their areas, and campaigners at Residents Together said the growth in LTNs was exacerbating problems on other roads.

Correction 26 January 2023: This story has been updated to remove a previous reference to cars being completely banned from Low Traffic Neighbourhoods (LTNs). The plan is to extend LTNs in Hackney and ban motorised through-traffic from most roads.

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