Campaigners have launched a crowd-funded legal bid to block a London borough mayor from ripping-out cycle lanes and other traffic-calming measures.
The Save Our Safer Streets campaign has asked the High Court to hold a judicial review into the “destructive decision” of Tower Hamlets mayor Lutfur Rahman to axe three low-traffic neighbourhood schemes.
Mr Rahman decided in September to have the schemes in Columbia Road - which houses the popular flower market - Arnold Circus, near Brick Lane, and Old Bethnal Green Road removed.
But campaigners believe he may have broken the law by apparently ignoring Government guidance on LTNs, running a “flawed” consultation and decision-making process, and failing to properly consider if removing the LTNs was a good use of £2.5 million of council funds.
Mr Rahman, who was elected on a pro-motorist platform in 2022, argued that the schemes had displaced traffic on to main roads. “While LTNs improve air quality in their immediate vicinity, they push traffic down surrounding arterial roads, typically lived on by less affluent residents,” he said.
But almost 700 people have already pledged £37,000 to the legal fighting fund – though another £45,000 is needed to fund the case if the court decides there are grounds for a full hearing before a judge.
Jane Harris, from Save Our Safer Streets, said: “This legal challenge is an absolute last resort for us. We have tried for a year and a half to meet the mayor and look at the specific issues and solutions for Bethnal Green, but he hasn’t even bothered to visit the scheme, let alone meet us.
“Not only has he ignored all the evidence, expert views and residents’ preferences about keeping the schemes, but he has now made a decision which we believe has broken the law.”
Campaigners said Transport for London, which supported the schemes and has previously frozen funding to the council because of the mayor’s actions, has become an “interested party” in the case.
They believe it is the first time in the country that a council has decided to rip-out a permanent LTN against the wishes of the majority of residents.
A council consultation found that 57.3 per cent of residents wanted to keep the schemes, compared with 41.7 per cent who wanted them taken out.
The Met Police said the vehicle restrictions resulted in a “noticeable” reduction in anti-social behaviour and urged the council “to retain as much of the LTN infrastructure as possible”.
Ms Harris said: “If this decision were to be deemed legal, it would set a terrible precedent. It would be a huge blow for healthy, safe travel across the country.”
Ricardo Gama, a solicitor at law firm Leigh Day, said: “Save Our Safer Streets feel they have no option but to bring a claim for judicial review because they say the mayor has chosen the most destructive option of completely removing the LTNS when less harmful alternatives were available, and the evidence showed that the schemes were working.
“A judge will now decide whether the grounds of challenge are arguable and if so, a full hearing will be held in 2024. In the meantime, on behalf of SOSS we have asked the council to confirm that they won’t carry out any works to remove the schemes until the court has decided whether the mayor acted within the law.”
The schemes were introduced two years ago, under the borough’s previous mayor, Labour’s John Biggs. They included cycle lanes, pocket parks, seating areas and large planters that prevent residential streets being used by through traffic.
The campaigners say that if they lose the case then cycle lanes will be removed from Old Bethnal Green Road and it will return to a two-way road, with 6,000 more cars a day.
If the High Court gives permission for a judicial review, the process is likely to take at least six months.
The crowdfunder is here.
