Study shows London’s low traffic neighbourhoods work

A new study on the effectiveness of low traffic neighbourhoods (LTNs) introduced in London in 2020 and 2021 has revealed that traffic levels within those zones fell by almost half. It also found little evidence that schemes pushed traffic onto surrounding roads, a claim regularly made by opponents of the initiatives.

Conducted by the University of Westminster’s Active Travel Academy, the study was commissioned by the climate change charity Possible, which says it is “the biggest ever study into the impact of LTNs and the evidence is in – they work.”

Researchers analysed traffic data for 46 LTNs in 11 boroughs across London. They found that there a mean reduction in traffic within the schemes of 47%, with nearly 70% of the LTNs studied now seeing fewer than 1,000 vehicles a day, compared to 40% before their introduction.

Lead author of the study, Asa Thomas, a Ph.D. researcher at the Active Travel Academy, said, “This study finds that most streets within LTNs see reductions in most traffic, improving the experience of walking and cycling. Two-thirds of these now have vehicle flows below 1,000 vehicles a day, a rough threshold for a quiet pedestrian-friendly street, compared to only two-fifths before. What’s more, there is little indication of systematic displacement of this traffic to boundary roads.”

Report co-author Professor Rachel Aldred, director of the Active Travel Academy added, “The research indicates there has been overall traffic evaporation due to these schemes, as the mean average reduction in motor traffic on internal roads is around ten times higher than the mean average increase on boundary roads, adjusting for background trends. This suggests that not only do LTNs have substantial benefits inside their boundaries, but they can also contribute to wider traffic reduction goals.”

Saying that the schemes “are good for people and planet”, Possible is urging councils “to use the report’s findings to introduce more LTNs and to challenge misinformation about the direct impacts on boundary roads as well as to call for further measures to address traffic on these boundary roads.”

Possible’s Hirra Khan Adeogun said, “In this climate crisis, we need our policymakers to make bold, data-led decisions; this report gives them that information.”