EXCLUSIVECar queues from new Low Traffic Neighbourhood has forced me to quit my NHS job saving lives - because it now takes me FOUR TIMES longer to get hospital
Car queues from a new Low Traffic Neighbourhood (LTN) have forced an NHS surgeon to quit his job and go private as it now takes him four times longer to drive to the hospital.
Car queues from a new Low Traffic Neighbourhood (LTN) have forced an NHS surgeon to quit his job and go private as it now takes him four times longer to drive to the hospital.
Furious residents of West Dulwich, southeast London, are taking Lambeth council to court over the introduction of an LTN which came into effect in the area on Monday.
They claim there were a series of failings by the council whilst gathering residents views on the LTN.
Court documents show the councils consultation found 67.5 per cent of locals asked were either unhappy or very unhappy with the plan.
One 50-year-old doctor affected by the LTN says the increase in his journey time - making what was once a ten-minute journey now 40-minutes - forced him to quit his job at an NHS hospital in Kent.
Members of The West Dulwich Action Group have put up posters around the area to garner more support
Several local businesses also fear the new Controlled Parking Zone (CPZ), which will force them to share just three parking spots between more than ten barbers, dentists, coffee shops and restaurants, could threaten their profits
The surgeon and father-of-two, who did not wish to be named but has lived in the area for over a decade, said: Its the overall traffic… I went to work in Kent for the NHS but I quit because it takes me too long to get there in the mornings now.
I have gone fully private as a result. [The LTN] doesnt take people like me into account.
I am on-call for three London hospitals… Ive had to buy a motorbike to get around the traffic now, the roads are just so blocked-up from about seven in the morning.
Its practically unpassable.
Several local businesses also fear the new Controlled Parking Zone (CPZ), which will force them to share just three parking spots between more than ten barbers, dentists, coffee shops and restaurants, could threaten their profits.
One garage which has been in existence for half a century fears the new CPZ could put them out of business completely.
The West Dulwich Action Group (WDAG) - an organised group of residents against the new changes - is taking the council to the High Court for improper practices used during the resident consultation process.
However, many locals involved in the group were quick to insist that that they are not against LTNs, but instead oppose the improper procedures used by the council their consultation and introduction.
Almira Mohamed, a mother-of-two who has lived in the area for over 14 years, says the councils new schemes are a shambles.
The 54-year-old says boundary roads to the new LTN zone - on which she says around 6,000 schoolchildren live - have become dangerous rat runs during rush hours.
A post uploaded to The West Dulwich Action Groups Facebook page details their concerns and urges other to get involved in stopping the LTN plan
West Dulwich residents took pictures of the roads in the area before the LTN was implemented and uploaded them to their Facebook group as before pictures ahead of the changes
Mrs Mohamed, who is heavily involved in the WDAG, also claims Lambeth Council have gone against draft government guidelines citing the need for strong community support with their new plans.
The LTN comes into place today, she explained on September 30.
The CPZ has just finished consultation and the healthy route will be a bi-directional cycle lane.
People have driveways [on the proposed three metre-wide cycle lane] as well, so people are worried about cyclists getting hit or killed.
Nearly 70 per cent of respondents are against the street improvements.
Im just furious about Lambeth Council being able to do what they want, marking their own homework…
They have wavered government guidelines and gone ahead anyway.
Ms Mohamed additionally criticised the council for allegedly using selective data on traffic on the boundary roads of the LTN, such as sensors that only pick up traffic above six miles an hour, and therefore do not take consistent traffic jams into account.
Almira Mohamed (pictured), a mother-of-two who has lived in the area for over 14 years, says the councils new schemes are a shambles
Another picture uploaded to the Facebook group of a residential road in the area before the LTN is implemented
We have taken all the data they have provided and said, "These are our findings".
They say they are bringing safety and reducing pollution, but the boundary roads and the South Circular are all above the UK pollution levels.
Their data doesnt show safety issues. They are putting all of the burden on roads that have the most collisions.
We have got together and the council does not like people being organised. They have consulted everyone in small groups. Theyve almost pitched everyone against each other.
There are some roads that will benefit and others that will not.
We ask the council where they have got their data from but they just ignore us.
Poorer communities and schoolchildren on the boundaries roads will be badly affected.
They have increased pollution because many people have to go around the LTN zone as they go on other roads.
They call it "traffic evaporation"... Its a shambles, really.
John Tullett, who has run Autocar Repairs in West Dulwich for the past 37 years, having moved from Clapham 13 years before after being pushed out by Lambeth Council, says he fears the LTN and CPZ could put an end to his long-standing business.
John Tullett, who has run Autocar Repairs in West Dulwich for the past 37 years, fears the LTN and CPZ could put an end to his long-standing business
A map in Mr Tullets office highlights the areas impacted by Lambeth councils LTN plan
The posters in Mr Tullets are the same ones the WDAG have put up around the area to get more support
There wont be any parking spaces that arent controlled, the 73-year-old said.
Only three car parking spaces for everyone outside of 14 or 15 shops is a major problem.
The council have suggested that if you dont object you are consenting.
People in the LTN who need to go south or east are parking outside the LTN, which is causing parking problems elsewhere.
The parking could put us out of business. The restrictions are from 10-4.
But we are not against the LTN, per se, we are against the way it has been put in and the finished article.
Fitin Haxhiu, who has run the Chapter Barber Shop on the high street for nearly 13 years, says he believes the loss of the parking spaces, coupled with the LTN, could reduce his family-run businesses profits by as much as ten per cent.
Fitin Haxhiu believes the loss of the parking spaces, coupled with the LTN, could reduce his family-run businesses profits by as much as ten per cent. Pictured left to right: Fitin Haxhiu, 38, Leonard Rusta, 29, and Fadil Haxhiu, 36
The 38-year-old said many of his customers who had moved from the area but would come back to get their hair cut are afraid of getting fined for parking or unwittingly driving through the LTN zone.
Lots of people who used to live here but dont anymore need to drive, Mr Haxhiu said.
There arent many transport links around here… We would lose a lot of business - at least ten per cent.
People dont want to wait for a parking space - they often come on their way to or from work.
The LTN will affect us as well. Some people already avoid the area because theyre worried about fines.
Lots of us have been caught on the cameras.
Dentists on the road will ostensibly be similarly affected by the reduction of parking spaces.
Haris Ilyas (pictured), 28, who works at the Uptown Dry dry cleaners and lives above the shop, says people doing drugs and drinking at the parklet keep him and his children up at night
The 28-year-old dad-of-one said: A lot of people used to come here from Tulse Hill and West Norwood, but they dont anymore
The LTN scheme came into effect early last month, but has been in a four-week grace period until today, during which motorists were sent warnings but not fined if caught.
The zone is also in an 18-month trial period, with an interim review due to take place after six months.
Barriers outside Eastmearn Road, which mark out the LTN, includes a parklet comprised of a few benches and some plants, which allegedly cost the council £25,000.
However, Haris Ilyas, who works at the Uptown Dry dry cleaners and lives above the shop, says people doing drugs and drinking at the parklet keep him and his children up at night.
Barriers outside Eastmearn Road, which mark out the LTN, includes a parklet comprised of a few benches and some plants, which allegedly cost the council £25,000
The 28-year-old dad-of-one said: A lot of people used to come here from Tulse Hill and West Norwood, but they dont anymore.
They are afraid of getting tickets. One of my regular customers is a cancer patient, but she doesnt come here now because of the LTN.
This is my home, I am living upstairs… There was a lady smoking weed at the parklet the other day.
I have children upstairs… We arent able to sleep at night, there are people drinking and fighting.
One guy tried to open my door one night. I have complained - Lambeth Council havent consulted us at all.
They didnt ask anything, they just put it here in front of my home.
Rashmi Patel, who has lived in the area for 15 years, said that, as a cyclist, the proposed cycle lane on Rosendale Road, would be dangerous due to cars pulling into the cycle lane from their driveways
Lambeth council proposed a cycle lane on Rosendale Road (pictured) as part of their plan
Rashmi Patel, who works in tech and has lived in the area for 15 years, added that, as a cyclist, the proposed cycle lane on Rosendale Road, would be dangerous due to cars pulling into the cycle lane from their driveways.
The butchers are worried about being able to get their staff in, the 54-year-old said.
The dentist is really worried - theyve just hired someone new and are afraid to tell her about the parking and LTN.
The demographics around here are old. Lambeth think everyones going to get on their bikes, which they wont.
Its going to be chaos and we dont need it. They are creating a problem that doesnt exist and then saying they have a solution.
