The rules re-directing traffic from internal 'residential' streets, force additional use of 'A' roads to access homes, delivery addresses, or make essential journeys in and out of the area. Within the area, traffic can also be forced drive longer distances. As a result, vehicles are added to those already using the boundaries, exposing all to additional congestion and pollution.
Trafalgar Road. Our banner picture shows pedestrians stranded at a floating bus stop on Trafalgar Road (A206). Behind them, the cycle-lane is empty, while traffic, including buses, dangerously jostles for space. Greenwich's decision to create the new monster East-West LTN will mean much more pressure on this busy pedestrian street. It is heavily polluted, and home to many low income flat dwellers. While the installation of TfL's cycle highway - built in 2020 - places excessive pressure on road space, few cyclists use the two-lane bike route. Cyclists are predominately white, male, aged in their 30s-50s and able to afford bikes: they are a minority demographic, taking a disproportionate share of valuable road space on Trafalgar Road and Woolwich Road. At the same time, transport users, pedestrians, and emergency vehicles are more vulnerable to overcrowding and hold-ups.
Emergency vehicles stuck in traffic are a common sight on Trafalgar Road. While delayed buses and overloaded bus-stops add to the problems confronting pedestrian shoppers and those needing public transport to get around. Many are 'active' travellers out of necessity, rather than choice.
Woolwich Road. With the addition of the huge East Greenwich area, pressure on Woolwich Road will increase. Worse, there's no major boundary road to take traffic from the majority of the Westcombe Park area under Option A (East Greenwich). Traffic accessing Woolwich Road (A206) is likely to travel via Eastcombe Avenue - currently a peaceful residential road.
Blackheath Hill (A2). The concentration of social housing on Blackheath Hill and Dabin Crescent is on the narrowest section of the A2, where two lanes of heavy traffic merge to a single lane all day long. Just a few metres separate the neighbourhood’s biggest permanent traffic jam from our largest agglomeration of social housing. Nearly 1,500 (1,430) social homes are registered on Blackheath Hill, (according to UK Social Housing). Blackheath Hill is an accident black spots, official statistics show. Although 'Experimental Traffic Orders' (ETO) are used to force through the controversial schemes, the official criteria put safety first. Pedestrians are the main victims of unsafe roads. Intensification of danger on the boundaries is unacceptable.
Why the boundary policy is wrong. Despite being right next door to proposed 'LTN' streets, boundary roads are viewed by TfL and Royal Greenwich to be 'outside' the area. Residents were not consulted. They have the least access in the area to wide pavements, open spaces, pedestrian and bike facilities, as well as everyday shops. Residents already live in a super-polluted area and will bear the brunt of the pollution fall-out and road risks of each of the new 'options' Greenwich has selected.
Boundary roads contain the majority of local social housing and privately tenanted homes: much more densely populated than owner-occupied homes within LTNs. Families living on 'A' roads tend to be poorer, and experience the worst effects of pollution from traffic emissions. Social housing residents are more likely to be very young, very old, disabled, or caring for children. With the lowest levels of car ownership, a greater proportion walk to work, school, medical appointments and shops.
Blackheath Hill averages 33,000 vehicles per day. The pollution effects do not stop at the roadside. A wide margin of homes on each side of the A2, A102, Trafalgar Road and Greenwich South Street experience measurable effects. Worse, traffic is also transferred to internal roads feeding into 'severance' (exits/access) roads to the area
To improve the environment for a swathe of affluent homes, and 'encourage' walking, cycling and 'wheeling' not only in Greenwich but also all over London, poorer people are bearing the cost of improving the lives of better-off owner-occupiers as a result of schemes like this one.
Research shows that the poor produce the least emissions, but are polluted the most, suffering the most ill-health from vehicle exhaust as well as the safety risks of negotiating busy roads. Pollution effects are imposed by the rich on the poor, increasing the vulnerability of children growing up in poverty. Young people are most susceptible to the effect of pollution, but have the least say over where they live. * https://doi.org/10.1016/j.trd.2019.05.012
Read more...
Voting in favour of LTNs does not support pollution reduction, even for the minority of residents who benefit from a small reduction in traffic.
Trafalgar Road. Our banner picture shows pedestrians stranded at a floating bus stop on Trafalgar Road (A206). Behind them, the cycle-lane is empty, while traffic, including buses, dangerously jostles for space. Greenwich's decision to create the new monster East-West LTN will mean much more pressure on this busy pedestrian street. It is heavily polluted, and home to many low income flat dwellers. While the installation of TfL's cycle highway - built in 2020 - places excessive pressure on road space, few cyclists use the two-lane bike route. Cyclists are predominately white, male, aged in their 30s-50s and able to afford bikes: they are a minority demographic, taking a disproportionate share of valuable road space on Trafalgar Road and Woolwich Road. At the same time, transport users, pedestrians, and emergency vehicles are more vulnerable to overcrowding and hold-ups.
Emergency vehicles stuck in traffic are a common sight on Trafalgar Road. While delayed buses and overloaded bus-stops add to the problems confronting pedestrian shoppers and those needing public transport to get around. Many are 'active' travellers out of necessity, rather than choice.
Woolwich Road. With the addition of the huge East Greenwich area, pressure on Woolwich Road will increase. Worse, there's no major boundary road to take traffic from the majority of the Westcombe Park area under Option A (East Greenwich). Traffic accessing Woolwich Road (A206) is likely to travel via Eastcombe Avenue - currently a peaceful residential road.
Blackheath Hill (A2). The concentration of social housing on Blackheath Hill and Dabin Crescent is on the narrowest section of the A2, where two lanes of heavy traffic merge to a single lane all day long. Just a few metres separate the neighbourhood’s biggest permanent traffic jam from our largest agglomeration of social housing. Nearly 1,500 (1,430) social homes are registered on Blackheath Hill, (according to UK Social Housing). Blackheath Hill is an accident black spots, official statistics show. Although 'Experimental Traffic Orders' (ETO) are used to force through the controversial schemes, the official criteria put safety first. Pedestrians are the main victims of unsafe roads. Intensification of danger on the boundaries is unacceptable.
Why the boundary policy is wrong. Despite being right next door to proposed 'LTN' streets, boundary roads are viewed by TfL and Royal Greenwich to be 'outside' the area. Residents were not consulted. They have the least access in the area to wide pavements, open spaces, pedestrian and bike facilities, as well as everyday shops. Residents already live in a super-polluted area and will bear the brunt of the pollution fall-out and road risks of each of the new 'options' Greenwich has selected.
Boundary roads contain the majority of local social housing and privately tenanted homes: much more densely populated than owner-occupied homes within LTNs. Families living on 'A' roads tend to be poorer, and experience the worst effects of pollution from traffic emissions. Social housing residents are more likely to be very young, very old, disabled, or caring for children. With the lowest levels of car ownership, a greater proportion walk to work, school, medical appointments and shops.
Blackheath Hill averages 33,000 vehicles per day. The pollution effects do not stop at the roadside. A wide margin of homes on each side of the A2, A102, Trafalgar Road and Greenwich South Street experience measurable effects. Worse, traffic is also transferred to internal roads feeding into 'severance' (exits/access) roads to the area
To improve the environment for a swathe of affluent homes, and 'encourage' walking, cycling and 'wheeling' not only in Greenwich but also all over London, poorer people are bearing the cost of improving the lives of better-off owner-occupiers as a result of schemes like this one.
Research shows that the poor produce the least emissions, but are polluted the most, suffering the most ill-health from vehicle exhaust as well as the safety risks of negotiating busy roads. Pollution effects are imposed by the rich on the poor, increasing the vulnerability of children growing up in poverty. Young people are most susceptible to the effect of pollution, but have the least say over where they live. * https://doi.org/10.1016/j.trd.2019.05.012
Read more...
Voting in favour of LTNs does not support pollution reduction, even for the minority of residents who benefit from a small reduction in traffic.
