Are low-traffic neighbourhoods greenwashing? Here’s what the evidence says

Since the pandemic, a series of low-traffic neighbourhoods (LTNs) have been installed across the UK. LTNs are designed to curtail car use in residential streets and promote active modes of travel such as walking, cycling and travelling by wheelchair. They aim to create a more pleasant environment for pedestrians and cyclists by using cameras, planting boxes or bollards to restrict motor vehicle traffic.

The initiative aims to address three public health issues directly associated with rampant car use in urban areas: air pollution, road deaths and physical inactivity. Human-made air pollution – which is worse in congested cities – is linked to between 28,000 and 36,000 deaths in the UK each year.

The concept of LTNs in the UK can be traced back to the 1970s when a similar scheme (although not referred to as an LTN at the time) was introduced in the London borough of Hackney.