Car users don’t have an inalienable right to occupy public space Quiet residential streets and clean air should not be treated as luxuries – Henry Mance – FT

Henry Mance – December 10 2021
Quiet residential streets and clean air should not be treated as luxuries

Car users don’t have an inalienable right to occupy public space Quiet residential streets and clean air should not be treated as luxuries Henry Mance People ride bicycles in the cycle lane as they cross Westminster Bridge into Parliament Square in London on November 7, 2020 Many Londoners took advantage of the quieter roads to cycle during lockdown © Justin Tallis/AFP/Getty Share on twitter (opens new window) Share on facebook (opens new window) Share on linkedin (opens new window) Henry Mance December 10 2021 271 Print this page Receive free Transport updates We’ll send you a myFT Daily Digest email rounding up the latest Transport news every morning. It’s the time of year when we remember those nice things that we’d forgotten exist: Santa, macadamia nuts, godchildren. And this year in particular, good governance. No, really. I have been reassured about the quality of British politics. The north London borough of Haringey this week approved three trial “low-traffic neighbourhoods”. In a victory for public health, these will have more pedestrian crossings and space for cycling. Residents will be able to come and go by car, but through-traffic won’t. Not everyone is happy. Low-traffic neighbourhoods, or LTNs, are accused by some Londoners of ruining their way of life and pushing congestion on to surrounding roads. Relatedly, this week a press release tried to blame London traffic jams on new cycle lanes. Come on, complaining that cycle lanes are clogging your roads is a bit like complaining that a stent is clogging your artery.