By Mathew Carr
Oct. 23-25, 2023 — When the Aspire political party disbanded a traffic-calming program in Tower Hamlets during the past year, it was a deeply unpopular decision in some wealthier quarters of one of the poorest parts of Britain.
Other residents were tired of getting parking tickets for driving down calmed roadways under the “liveable streets” program.
Earlier Monday evening, several councillors failed in their bid to save the measure. Aspire voted to move on from the debate, having obtained office promising to give cars their lost freedom.
Here is the vote:
In the busy public area of the new council chamber …developed in the old Whitechapel hospital, once famous for housing a man improperly regarded more than a century ago as the “elephant man” …about 20-30 residents seemed angry about the defeat.
“See you in court,” yelled one man.
According to this Evening Standard report and video, London Mayor Sadiq Khan has been urged to use his legal powers to intervene in the borough. “Green politicians believe there is a ‘crystal clear’ opportunity for the London mayor to use provisions within the Greater London Authority Act to save several walking and cycling schemes in the East End, which were introduced using Transport for London funds,” according to the report.
A group of residents appointed environmental lawyers, Leigh Day, to advise on legal strategy and have been working with barristers who are also specialists in this field and whom they instruct on our behalf. The group has raised £31,000 on Crowd Justice.
Papers published ahead of a further decision last month on the future of the Liveable Streets program revealed that 58% of local residents want to keep the new road layouts in place, according to that group.
Tower Hamlets might have to return some money to Transport for London, which was handed over on condition of traffic calming, according to the council cabinet document below, which is available for download. The council is already spending more than it has available in its budget.
The debate about how to control traffic in urban areas has been hotting up for years. House prices can rise in wealthy areas with calming.
Traffic — and pollution — can get worse in poorer areas as a result of the calming, as traffic is diverted.
I can see both sides, because I live around the corner from a previously calmed area in Tower Hamlets and I have a busy road that is a small block from the end of my back yard.
The problem for Aspire Monday night was that the portfolio manager responsible for the decision had an “emergency” to attend to … and so could not be available to field questions at the public debate and to vote, I was told by a colleague.
I tried Mr Hussain, below, Tuesday and will let you know how I get on. I do like how Aspire labels him responsible for the “climate emergency”. That’s appropriate.
Search for “liveable” in this report for some detail:
Labour councillors were critical.
See this series of short videos:
Aspire was accused of not having data to back up their decision and of being insufficiently accountable
Mayor for Aspire is Lutfur Rahman. He didn’t attend the vote.
For me …the elephant now in the room is that cars are becoming electric…so pollution will come down everywhere ….traffic speed limits are dropping …all roads are about to become calmer.
This is still small comfort for parents of all kids dealing right now with polluted streets.
CarrZee’s most viral Instagram post:
Angry resident objects to protesters “using kids” to prevent the removal of traffic calming. A year ago.
(Adds cabinet report for today’s meeting — regular cabinet meeting I think, previously added attempts to get comment from Cllr Hussain)