A group campaigning to keep three low traffic neighbourhoods in Tower Hamlets, in opposition to the local mayor, has won the right to have their case heard in the Court of Appeal.
Save Our Safer Streets (SOSS) has been granted the chance to appeal a decision by mayor of Tower Hamlets Lutfur Rahman, made in September 2023, to end LTNs and reopen three roads in the borough; Columbia Road (pictured above), Arnold Circus and Old Bethnal Green Road.
The organisation said the decision to take the case to the Court of Appeal would ‘put real pressure on the mayor to rethink his decision’.
SOSS submitted a petition to the Tower Hamlets mayor in November of last year opposing his plan. Following this, the case was heard in the High Court, which ruled on the 17 December 2024 in favour of the council and reopening the roads.
However this month, SOSS won the right to appeal on three grounds; whether the mayor’s consultation process was fair, whether he took the borough’s Local Implementation Plan (LIP) into account, and whether he can legally act against the LIP agreed by the council with Transport for London (TfL).
Mayor Rahman said: ‘While LTNs improve air quality in their immediate vicinity, the way they had been implemented in the borough previously pushed traffic down surrounding main roads. This led to complaints about traffic congestion increasing the air pollution on main roads and negatively impacting the health of many who live on those streets, which are predominantly working-class households.
‘The gridlock traffic caused severe delays to bus services, undermining efforts to boost public transport use - a crucial part of the strategy to reduce emissions – and concerns were also raised about the impact on residents with mobility restrictions and on emergency services, including objections by the London Ambulance Service.’
Following the appeal announcement, SOSS said: ‘Not many cases get to go to the Court of Appeal, so we are very encouraged that the court thinks that we have a realistic prospect of success and also that our case raises important issues of public interest.
‘It is really important that when councils sign agreements like [LIPs], they keep to their promises. We need all London borough councils to work together in a coordinated and strategic way if they are to give London the best possible transport and keep residents safe.’
London Borough of Tower Hamlets has been approached for comment.
