Mixed Reaction To Camera Enforcement in LTNs
Council to remove barriers and use cameras at five locations
Council says move made after consulting emergency services. Picture: Kim Newson
There has been a range of responses from local residents to Ealing Council’s announcement that they are to remove barriers at five points in borough Low Traffic Neighbourhood Schemes (LTNs) and switch to camera enforcement at these locations.
The council says the move comes after consulting with the emergency services to see how the trial schemes can be improved. There had been a number of incidents in which ambulances and fire engines had been delayed in getting to incidents. These vehicles will now not be restricted by bollards where cameras are installed.
There is to be no exemption for residents from the restrictions unlike similar schemes in other boroughs such as Hounslow and Hammersmith & Fulham.
Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras will be placed in the following locations:
1. Junction Road / Murray Road Junction (LTN 32)
2. Acacia Road / Cumberland Road, Acton (LTN 25)
3. Grosvenor Road / Oaklands Road (LTN 21)
4. Leighton Road / Seaford Road (LTN 21)
5. Leighton Road / Coldershaw Road (LTN 21)
The cameras use technology that can detect car number plates so that fines can be issued to unauthorised vehicles using no-entry points. Only emergency services and refuse vehicles will be exempt. The council says warning notices will be issued at first, moving to fines after reviewing the impact. The council has already used camera technology at some locations to capture cars bypassing entry points. While the council waits for the temporary cameras to be installed mobile car cameras using the same technology will monitor locations.
The Council is also hoping that the change in method of enforcement will reduce the disruption to the scheme by vandalism which has seen a number of the bollards removed.
Cllr David Millican said, “ANPR enforcement is a tacit admission that emergency vehicles cannot navigate through the road blocks and have to waste valuable minutes as they drive around to avoid them.
“The council have only selected a few barriers which means that the ambulance and police vehicles will still have to drive the long way round for most of their calls. It doesn’t help fire engines, as they cannot pass through the barriers anyway.
“I am bitterly disappointed that the council have confirmed to me that GPs and district nurses do not count as an emergency service and so are not given permission to pass through these barriers, thus increasing journey times as they make their house calls.”
Lucy Smollett who lives in LTN21 said, “I don’t think the scheme is a good idea but I was prepared to accept I might be wrong and see how the trial went. However, now it is clear that the these restrictions are here to stay. As soon as these cameras start generating revenue, there is no way that they will remove them even if the outcome of the trial is a disaster. The contempt in which Ealing Council holds residents is shown in the way the administer and enforce parking restrictions and there is no reason to believe they will be any different in enforcing these schemes. It is perverse that no exemption for residents has been given as it means many will be forced to circle around the area to get to their homes. “
Another resident of a borough LTN said, “The main argument against these schemes has been the issues that they caused for the emergency services and this was a legitimate concern. This change means that at the most important location ambulances will have no problems. Along with the general reduction in traffic within the LTNs this will mean they will get to their destination more quickly in most cases so the cameras could save your life.”
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Cllr Julian Bell, leader of Ealing Council said, “I want to thank all of the emergency services for the way in which they have engaged with us about these schemes. These schemes are genuine trials so hearing what would make them work better is an essential part of the process.
“We know that traffic changes can be difficult for drivers and it will take a few weeks for them to get to know the new routes and for people to switch from cars to other forms of transport. It is clear some people strongly dislike the schemes, while others fully support them, and others have yet to make up their minds. I would ask for patience as they bed in.
“I fully recognise that people may not like the speed in which schemes were introduced. The government asked councils to put these schemes in quickly and change normal consultation practice to a live trial where feedback is gathered after implementation. Funding was dependent on trials being in place by the end of September.
“I’m very sorry if the introduction of low traffic neighbourhoods has upset people. I want to assure you that we very much want to hear your views and are setting up an online engagement platform which will be available in the next few weeks, where you can leave your feedback and see what others think.”
Residents can visit the low traffic neighbourhoods' page of the council’s website for further information on the schemes.
Residents can email feedback to TrafficNotices@ealing.gov.uk, or post them to the Highways Service, Perceval House, 14-16 Uxbridge Road, W5 2HL, quoting reference ORD XXX.
The cameras will be operation from week commencing Monday, 21 September.
Two further low traffic neighbourhood schemes are planed for Loveday Road, W13 (LTN 30) and West Ealing North, W13 (LTN 20).
An online petition against LTNs in Ealing has been signed by over 8,000 people. A counter petition in support of the new schemes has, at the time of writing, over 500 signatures.
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September 24, 2020