Hundreds gather to protest against Crystal Palace Low Traffic Neighbourhood
By Tara O’Connor, Local Democracy Reporter
Hundreds of furious residents lined the pavements in Crystal Palace in protest against a new Low Traffic Neighbourhood at the weekend.
It has been three months since new measures were introduced in a bid to cut traffic from side roads in the area.
Using planters, Sylvan Hill, Stambourne Way and Fox Hill have all been closed to through traffic.
There is also a bus gate in Auckland Road which allows buses and bikes but stops cars using the road.
The aim is to encourage people to ditch their cars for short journeys and instead walk or cycle.
While some are embracing the changes, others say that the measures have simply pushed the traffic into the main roads, including the Crystal Palace triangle and Anerley Hill.
Video credit: Odotsheaman
Others, like Sue Hye, are unhappy that the measures were put in place without any consultation.
The Crown Dale resident said: “I feel very, very strongly about the lack of consultation.
“The decision was made by councillors that we don’t know what we want and it is for our own good, I just don’t like that.”
In May the Government gave £250 million of emergency active travel funding to local councils to introduce street space schemes.
Councils were not required to carry out formal consultation before implementing the schemes and the measures in Croydon are running as a trial.
But due to strong feeling, consultation on alternatives for the Crystal Palace LTN is expected to open this month.
Gordon McGinn, who lives in Patterson Road, which falls in the neighbouring borough of Bromley, said that people diverting through his road has made it dangerous.
He said: “It is absolute chaos, extremely dirty and dangerous.”
Simon Middleton, who lives in Church Road, usually drives to Dulwich College, where he teaches.
He was at the protest with his family and said what was a 10 to 12-minute journey now takes him 45 minutes in the morning.
His wife, Max, runs Love Bridal in Westow Street, and said her customers were put off coming into the triangle.
She said: “There has been a massive downturn due to the traffic, about 70 per cent of our customers drive, we are a destination business and people are saying they can’t get there for their appointments.
“I would like to get rid of the LTNs, but they could’ve created a solution.”
On Twitter, local councillor Stephen Mann confirmed that consultation on the LTN would start this Friday.
Pictured top: Protester Sue Hyde
