Lutfur Rahman had launched a consultation on his “reopening the roads” pledge in the summer which campaigners say has put new traffic calming measures under threat
(Picture: ES composite( AFP/ Safer Streets) )Campaigners have claimed an early victory in a battle to prevent a mayor from ripping out traffic-calming measures across an east London borough.
Lutfur Rahman had launched a consultation on his “reopening the roads” pledge in the summer after being re-elected mayor of Tower Hamlets in May.
It would have been one of the biggest reversals of the trend to favour “active travel” over motor vehicles in the capital.
Many residents feared this would “destroy four years of street improvements” in the London borough with the lowest car ownership and make walking and cycling more dangerous by reopening residential roads to through traffic.
More than 2,800 residents signed a petition urging Mr Rahman to axe any plans to scrap the new road layouts and instead work to improve their effectiveness.
The petition – which means the mayor’s plans will be debated at a full council meeting on October 5 – was set up by a headteacher who feared the impact of additional traffic on his primary school pupils.
Mr Rahman was previously forced to step down after an election court found him guilty of corrupt and illegal practices, and he was banned from running for office for five years.
But he faced no criminal prosecution and won the mayorship in a shock victory earlier this year.
More than £16,000 was raised from crowdfunding for a potential legal challenge, on the grounds that the consultation was allegedly flawed.
A decision on the mayor’s manifesto pledge to “reverse the liveable streets schemes” had been expected at a cabinet meeting on Wednesday evening, Instead, Mr Rahman is expected to allow more time to consider the consultation results, which have not been made public.
A council spokesperson told the Standard: “The council is upholding its duty to consider the data gathered throughout the consultation period. We will be giving an update in due course.”
Robert Andari, from Save Our Safer Streets Bethnal Green, said: “We were very pleased to see that the mayor won’t be taking a decision about the future of liveable streets at the September 28 cabinet meeting, as originally planned. We’re hopeful that this is a sign he truly does intend to be a mayor who listens.
“We’d like to see him publish the results of the consultation, as well as any data he has about the impact of the new street layouts. We don’t think there’s any good reason to go ahead and rip out the schemes at great expense.
“Hopefully there will now be space for proper conversations about how we can improve the streets so that they are safe, friendly and healthy for everyone.”
The Save Our Safer Streets campaign launched in July when a group of neighbours living near Old Bethnal Green Road realised that the new pocket park and planters were in imminent danger of being demolished.
Campaigners also want to protect pedestrianised streets around Brick Lane and low-traffic schemes in Bow and Wapping.
Shaheena Parvin, a mother of five who lives near Old Bethnal Green Road, said: “I got involved in the Save Our Safer Streets campaign because I was shocked that the mayor wanted to bring back heavy traffic to my area.
“I voted for the mayor and the Aspire party, but I never agreed with his plan to ‘reopen the roads’. Old Bethnal Green Road is lovely now. It’s so much safer for my kids to get to school, and so much quieter.”
