An Ealing councillor has said that people choosing to walk or cycle instead of using cars and public transport could save lives, as Ealing Council is set to trial three new Low Traffic Neighbourhoods (LTNs) from February.

Jasbir Anand is the Ealing Council cabinet member for environment and climate emergency.

Proposed travel schemes announced this week are likely to ease pressure on public transport amid the pandemic, but the councillor also wants to protect air quality in the borough.

Anand said: "We want to make our roads safer and more attractive for walking and cycling so that Ealing can do its bit to tackle the climate emergency.

“We are fully aware people have strong opinions on schemes such as Low Traffic Neighbourhoods, both for and against, which is why it remains vital that everyone has their say via our Commonplace website throughout the consultation and trial periods for current Low Traffic Neighbourhoods.”

The councillor’s plea comes as nine-year-old Ella Adoo-Kissi-Debrah, who died in 2013 after suffering an asthma attack, became the first person in the UK to have air pollution listed as a cause of death.

A report released by the Mayor of London in October found 99% of Londoners are living in conditions of potentially deadly air pollution.

Consultations for new travel schemes in Ealing are set to start in the New Year, from February 2021.

Ealing Council will discuss schemes including three new trial Low Traffic Neighbourhoods at Creffield Road North, Creffield Road South and Hamilton Road.

Residents will also be able to discuss proposed cycle schemes, including ones at Gordon Road East & West, Boston Road and Park Royal.

Once designs of the schemes have been finalised the Council will contact residents, including everyone living within the proposed new Low Traffic Neighbourhoods.

The schemes stem from a £20 million Active Travel fund set aside for London boroughs from the Department for Transport and Transport for London.

LTNs have been notoriously controversial across south west London, with an Oval Triangle labelled as making life impossible for residents, and Wandsworth Council coming under fire after scrapping their LTNs.

Read more about Ealing's LTN scheme here. 

Featured image credit: Ealing Council