Watch: Protesters set fire to LTN road blocks placed to stop traffic
Residents in Greater Manchester have protested against the introduction of low-traffic neighbourhoods (LTNs) by setting fire to road blocks that stop traffic.
Images have emerged from the Deeplish area of Rochdale showing the planters put in place to filter road traffic set alight just a day after they were first installed.
The video, which was filmed last week, shows fire engines tending to the scene, while some of the planters have been removed and overturned.
Low-traffic neighbourhood zones began appearing during the Covid-19 pandemic as temporary measures. However, many councils decided to keep them in place when road traffic began returning to pre-pandemic levels.
Other local authorities have since tried to install the measures to encourage active travel but have been met with fierce criticism by some road users.
Police now investigating
The LTN barricades were put in as part of an “active neighbourhoods” trial by Rochdale Borough Council across the Deeplish and Milkstone areas, with a number of roads blocked with the aim of driving up public transport use, and cycling and walking.
However, the council has now said that following the action taken against LTN infrastructure the trial will be paused so next steps can be considered. Police are now investigating the incident.
A spokesperson for Rochdale Borough Council, said: “While we understand there may be some strong feelings about the active travel trial on both sides, violence and threats will not be tolerated and the police are investigating this incident.
“The damage has now been cleared by the council and the active travel trial has been paused while we consider our next steps.”
TfL withholds funding for Tower Hamlets
The news of the Rochdale protests comes as it was revealed that Transport for London (TfL) had withheld £1 million in funding from the London borough of Tower Hamlets after the local authority moved to ditch several LTNs across the borough.
The money comes from the latest £63 million of funding going to boroughs as part of Transport for London’s “Healthy Streets” scheme, which encourages cycling and walking, and public transport schemes across the capital.
TfL did confirm that it had given Tower Hamlets £180,000 in funding for cycle training but would not give anything more at this stage.
Last year, Luftur Rahman was re-elected as mayor of Tower Hamlets, replacing former Labour mayor John Biggs in the role. As part of his manifesto, Mr Rahman promised a pro-car agenda, which included removing several LTNs across the borough.
Speaking to The Telegraph, Alex Williams, TfL’s chief customer and strategy officer, said that the reason for the decision was because the borough had taken out TfL-funded infrastructure, against the wishes of local communities.
He said: “The Tower Hamlets situation is unusual because they were taking out schemes that were clearly working and that for us was not the right use of public money.”
