Tracy De Groose
@tdegroose
Champion of news, trustee for CRUK, investor in natural beauty, wife, mum, optimist (not in that order)
ID: 421102191
25-11-2011 14:12:52
1,1K Tweet
1,1K Followers
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Rachel Aldred Active Travel Academy Ersilia Verlinghieri Possible If you've delved at all into the murky waters of the low traffic neighbourhoods debate, you'll undoubtedly have come across this claim: poor, vulnerable people live on main roads and are disadvantaged by low traffic neighbourhoods.
Rachel Aldred Active Travel Academy Ersilia Verlinghieri Possible It *sounds* intuitive. But is it true? Turns out, no one knew. We asked journalists, academics, experts, government officials AND proponents of the arguments themselves. Not one of them could produce the data to back it up.
Rachel Aldred Active Travel Academy Ersilia Verlinghieri Possible Enter Dr Aldred, Ersilia Verlinghieri and the Possible team. Instead of continuing to spread an idea that had no factual backing (like so many had been doing) they decided to find our for themselves: was it true? Here's what they found.
Rachel Aldred Active Travel Academy Ersilia Verlinghieri Possible First off -- the study found that 90% of Londoners live on residential streets, whereas 5% live on main roads and 5% live on high streets. Given those numbers, it makes sense that residential roads are where the government is intervening first.
Rachel Aldred Active Travel Academy Ersilia Verlinghieri Possible When it comes to the equity problems focusing on residential roads over main roads, the report found *very small* benefits for: - disabled over non-disabled people - children over adults - middle income over low or high income earners - white, black and asian people over others
Rachel Aldred Active Travel Academy Ersilia Verlinghieri Possible But the conclusion was this: patterns may vary by local area, but across Inner London as a whole there are few differences in LTN benefits by age group, income group, ethnic group, or disability status.
Rachel Aldred Active Travel Academy Ersilia Verlinghieri Possible The report also found that, probably due to the difficulties in storing them or their better access to public transport, folks living on main roads and high streets are less likely to have access to a car than those living on residential roads.
Rachel Aldred Active Travel Academy Ersilia Verlinghieri Possible Overall, 87% or more of Londoners from each age, ethnic, disability, car ownership, and income group live on residential streets. So schemes that improve residential streets, improve life for all these folkds.
Rachel Aldred Active Travel Academy Ersilia Verlinghieri Possible So, what does this mean? It means that poor and vulnerable people are no more likely to live on main roads than residential roads. It means that, while we need to reduce car use EVERYWHERE -- starting with the residential roads where 90% of Londoners live makes the most sense.
Rachel Aldred Active Travel Academy Ersilia Verlinghieri Possible It means if you're someone who cares about equity between disabled and non-disabled, between the young and the elderly, between the rich and the rest, and between people of all ethnicities -- then you should feel good about supporting LTNs. Because they are a step towards equity.
Rachel Aldred Active Travel Academy Ersilia Verlinghieri Possible And it means that the next time someone tells you that supporting LTNs means disadvantaging London's most vulnerable, you should send them this report -- so they can learn the facts static1.squarespace.com/static/5d30896…
Today London Assembly questioned the London Ambulance Service on their response to the pandemic - they did amazingly well 👏. I asked about introduction of LTNs - ‘We’re happy that we were fully engaged’ and response times have not been affected.
Christmas has arrived The Prince Regent, come and join us. We are open from 4-11pm, Mon-Thur & 12-11pm Fri-Sun. #tistheseason #StayLocal #HerneHill #SE24 Herne Hill Forum
For those complaining about traffic in Dulwich and surrounding areas and blaming it on the LTNs, here is Wandsworth, where the LTNs were removed and the traffic is still gridlocked. The cause is too many people driving! This is unsustainable! CllrCatherineRose