Lambeth Council first introduced the Streatham Well’s LTN in October 2023.
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Business owners and residents living around Lambeth’s Streatham Wells Low Traffic Neighbourhood (LTN) say it’s damaging their revenue and adding stress to their daily commute.
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Lambeth Council first introduced the Streatham Wells LTN in October 2023, aiming to reduce air pollution and decrease the number of cars on Streatham’s roads.
However, many residents have grown angry following increased congestion on Streatham High Road, part of the A23 connecting South London to Surrey. This week, new TfL data showed that three-mile journeys along the road were taking as long as two hours.
‘It’s been a nightmare’
Meghan De Wolff, 21, says that since the LTN was introduced, less customers have visited her family’s store. Credit: Michael Gaughan/City News
Meghan De-Wolff and her parents run The Indigo Tree, an independent gift shop on Streatham High Street. She says the last week of traffic has been particularly severe.
“It’s been a nightmare – the traffic on our doorstep. We’ve seen so many buses back to back, and because everything is running so late, no one seems to be coming in, they’d rather just get home after work.
“We didn’t really notice the traffic before. But now it’s just constant, and actually we can almost taste the fumes. We keep our doors closed now because the fumes are so strong – you can’t really get away from it.”
Jason owns I Love Coffee – an independent café on the High Street – and says his journey’s to work have been doubled by the LTN. Credit: Michael Gaughan/City News
Over the road, father of three Jason who runs independent coffee shop I Love Coffee, echoes Meghan’s concerns.
“The fumes are probably the worst bit of it all. This was meant to be better for everyone, but it’s consolidating pollution here – it’s awful.
“Now it takes me two-and-a-half-hours to get home sometimes. I used to be able to do the same journey in an hour. And it doesn’t help with three young ones. You’ve got to really organise yourself. You never had to before.
“It’s negative for the area, massively. We don’t have the footfall that Clapham and Brixton has, and all the LTN is doing is reducing that footfall for us.”
Stefano’s pet store will be closing after 50 years, and he says the LTN is partly responsible. Credit: Michael Gaughan/City News
Shop owner Stefano, who runs pet shop Dr Doolittle, says the LTN is partly responsible for his store’s closure, after 50 years.
“This is a well-established shop”, he says.
“It’s been here since the 70’s. But the impact [of the LTN] is very bad. We are about 40% to 50% down since the LTN was implemented. It’s terrible – there’s no footfall.”
‘Every day I start my day anxious’
Many parents with young children have joined independent business owners in urging Lambeth Council to review the scheme.
One of those parents is Sabrina Bouchair, a mum of two who lives within the LTN zone.
Sabrina says that despite her own local roads being much quieter since the LTN’s introduction, the ongoing congestion has damaged her mental health and put stress on her young family.
Roads inside the Streatham Wells have seen reduced traffic, but residents say the main road is becoming regularly congested. Credit: Michael Gaughan/City News
She says her school run, which used to take 12 minutes, now regularly takes 40. As a result, Sabrina is changing her daughter’s nursery. On one occasion, she says it took her 90 minutes to collect her children from school in Balham.
She adds: “I’m stuck in traffic, they’re tired. They don’t want to be in the car! They’re losing it. I’m sat there in my car, almost crying.”
Gridlocked, Sabrina describes having to shield her daughter as she pees beside her car, in the middle of Streatham High Road.
“It was insane. Now it’s anxiety every morning, especially around the school run. Do I have time to drop her in Balham and be back for him [her son] to be in school at nine? Every day I start my day anxious.
“It’s anxiety, it’s building anxiety. What am I going to tell my boss? Am I going to miss the meeting? I don’t have any control of anything going on around me. It drives me nuts.”
Another parent – who has asked to stay anonymous due to fears of losing her job – says the LTN has made life as a single parent increasingly difficult.
“The impact on my child. It’s been so awful. Usually I’d pick him up at 5:30, we’d get home in five minutes, we’d get the dinner on, and everything would be done by 6:30. But now, I’m sitting in traffic.”
The parent told City News that congestion since October has forced her to quit her job.
“There have been so many women I’ve spoken to who have had to leave their jobs, change jobs or reduce their hours. My story is repeated over and over again. We all want less cars on the road, but they’re cutting off major routes for people to get to work and to their childcare. It just doesn’t work.”
‘We are aware of concerns’
Responding to City News, a Lambeth Council spokesperson said:
“We are aware of concerns regarding bus times in Streatham relating to the trial of Streatham Wells LTN, ongoing roadworks by utilities and recent rail strikes.
“We are working closely with TfL to monitor the situation and will make changes as needed.
“In previous Lambeth LTN schemes, traffic fell across the neighbourhood and boundary roads by the end of the trial.
“The Low Traffic Neighbourhoods been introduced to our busy London borough to make the areas safer, more sustainable and to improve the quality for life everyone living in our local neighbourhoods.”
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HeadlinePressure building on Lambeth Council as local residents condemn ‘nightmare’ LTN
Short HeadlineLambeth Council under pressure over 'nightmare' LTN
StandfirstTfL data shows three-mile bus journeys through Streatham are taking up to two hours, when they previously took 29 minutes.
Business owners and residents living around Lambeth’s Streatham Wells Low Traffic Neighbourhood (LTN) say it’s damaging their revenue and adding stress to their daily commute.
Listen to this article – powered by AI:
Lambeth Council first introduced the Streatham Wells LTN in October 2023, aiming to reduce air pollution and decrease the number of cars on Streatham’s roads.
However, many residents have grown angry following increased congestion on Streatham High Road, part of the A23 connecting South London to Surrey. This week, new TfL data showed that three-mile journeys along the road were taking as long as two hours.
‘It’s been a nightmare’
Meghan De Wolff, 21, says that since the LTN was introduced, less customers have visited her family’s store. Credit: Michael Gaughan/City News
Meghan De-Wolff and her parents run The Indigo Tree, an independent gift shop on Streatham High Street. She says the last week of traffic has been particularly severe.
“It’s been a nightmare – the traffic on our doorstep. We’ve seen so many buses back to back, and because everything is running so late, no one seems to be coming in, they’d rather just get home after work.
“We didn’t really notice the traffic before. But now it’s just constant, and actually we can almost taste the fumes. We keep our doors closed now because the fumes are so strong – you can’t really get away from it.”
Jason owns I Love Coffee – an independent café on the High Street – and says his journey’s to work have been doubled by the LTN. Credit: Michael Gaughan/City News
Over the road, father of three Jason who runs independent coffee shop I Love Coffee, echoes Meghan’s concerns.
“The fumes are probably the worst bit of it all. This was meant to be better for everyone, but it’s consolidating pollution here – it’s awful.
“Now it takes me two-and-a-half-hours to get home sometimes. I used to be able to do the same journey in an hour. And it doesn’t help with three young ones. You’ve got to really organise yourself. You never had to before.
“It’s negative for the area, massively. We don’t have the footfall that Clapham and Brixton has, and all the LTN is doing is reducing that footfall for us.”
Stefano’s pet store will be closing after 50 years, and he says the LTN is partly responsible. Credit: Michael Gaughan/City News
Shop owner Stefano, who runs pet shop Dr Doolittle, says the LTN is partly responsible for his store’s closure, after 50 years.
“This is a well-established shop”, he says.
“It’s been here since the 70’s. But the impact [of the LTN] is very bad. We are about 40% to 50% down since the LTN was implemented. It’s terrible – there’s no footfall.”
‘Every day I start my day anxious’
Many parents with young children have joined independent business owners in urging Lambeth Council to review the scheme.
One of those parents is Sabrina Bouchair, a mum of two who lives within the LTN zone.
Sabrina says that despite her own local roads being much quieter since the LTN’s introduction, the ongoing congestion has damaged her mental health and put stress on her young family.
Roads inside the Streatham Wells have seen reduced traffic, but residents say the main road is becoming regularly congested. Credit: Michael Gaughan/City News
She says her school run, which used to take 12 minutes, now regularly takes 40. As a result, Sabrina is changing her daughter’s nursery. On one occasion, she says it took her 90 minutes to collect her children from school in Balham.
She adds: “I’m stuck in traffic, they’re tired. They don’t want to be in the car! They’re losing it. I’m sat there in my car, almost crying.”
Gridlocked, Sabrina describes having to shield her daughter as she pees beside her car, in the middle of Streatham High Road.
“It was insane. Now it’s anxiety every morning, especially around the school run. Do I have time to drop her in Balham and be back for him [her son] to be in school at nine? Every day I start my day anxious.
“It’s anxiety, it’s building anxiety. What am I going to tell my boss? Am I going to miss the meeting? I don’t have any control of anything going on around me. It drives me nuts.”
Another parent – who has asked to stay anonymous due to fears of losing her job – says the LTN has made life as a single parent increasingly difficult.
“The impact on my child. It’s been so awful. Usually I’d pick him up at 5:30, we’d get home in five minutes, we’d get the dinner on, and everything would be done by 6:30. But now, I’m sitting in traffic.”
The parent told City News that congestion since October has forced her to quit her job.
“There have been so many women I’ve spoken to who have had to leave their jobs, change jobs or reduce their hours. My story is repeated over and over again. We all want less cars on the road, but they’re cutting off major routes for people to get to work and to their childcare. It just doesn’t work.”
‘We are aware of concerns’
Responding to City News, a Lambeth Council spokesperson said:
“We are aware of concerns regarding bus times in Streatham relating to the trial of Streatham Wells LTN, ongoing roadworks by utilities and recent rail strikes.
“We are working closely with TfL to monitor the situation and will make changes as needed.
“In previous Lambeth LTN schemes, traffic fell across the neighbourhood and boundary roads by the end of the trial.
“The Low Traffic Neighbourhoods been introduced to our busy London borough to make the areas safer, more sustainable and to improve the quality for life everyone living in our local neighbourhoods.”
