TfL concedes some low traffic schemes have worsened congestion

Transport for London has acknowledged that low traffic neighbourhood congestion has increased in parts of the capital following the rollout of extra bus lanes and traffic filters designed to discourage car use.

The admission came during a session of the London Assembly’s transport committee, where officials were questioned about the cumulative impact of road space changes introduced over the past five years, many of them accelerated during the Covid pandemic.

TfL has been shifting policy away from accommodating private vehicles as part of a longer-term strategy to ensure that 80 per cent of journeys in London are made on foot, by bike or on public transport by 2041. Measures have included the expansion of bus lanes, the introduction of Low Traffic Neighbourhoods, and charging schemes such as the Ultra Low Emission Zone and the Congestion Charge.

Low Traffic Neighbourhoods, commonly known as LTNs, aim to reduce motor traffic in residential streets using cameras, planters or lockable bollards. Supporters argue that they improve road safety and encourage walking and cycling, while critics say they displace traffic onto main roads.

Appearing before the committee, Carl Eddleston, TfL’s director of streets and network operations, said the impact of LTNs had not been uniform. “In some locations they have added congestion to the local area,” he said, while stressing that “nearly all of them have been huge successes” in terms of safety and active travel.

Eddleston also noted that most LTNs are introduced by individual boroughs rather than TfL itself. “They are on borough roads, so they’re not a TfL decision,” he said, adding that schemes were being reviewed and adjusted following consultation with residents.

The comments come at a time when congestion levels remain a sensitive issue for City Hall. London regularly features near the top of global rankings for slow driving speeds, and data has shown bus speeds falling on some routes despite the expansion of dedicated lanes.

TfL maintains that the long-term effect of reducing car dependency will be fewer vehicles on the road, leading to faster journeys for those who rely on driving for work or accessibility reasons. The Mayor’s office has said meeting London’s net-zero target by 2030 depends on cutting car travel by more than a quarter.

Public guidance on how LTNs are designed and assessed is set out in national transport policy, which outlines how schemes should balance congestion, safety and community impact.

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