On Tuesday, May 18, a sign placed on The Bourne near Southgate station, north London raised eyebrows for commuters on the drive home in the evening.
A poster with drawn images of Enfield Council’s Turkish Cypriot leader Nesil Çalışkan and deputy leader Ian Barnes on with a message reading; “Are you late for work? Please thank Cllr Ian Barnes and Cllr Nesil Çalışkan. Enfield Council “making your lives miserable”.”
The poster place in the large pavement signboard was seen by drivers passing by and those walking in the area. By Wednesday morning the sing had been already removed.
Normally heavy traffic builds up on the main road surrounding Southgate roundabout at peak travel time such as early morning work and evening rush hours.
It not clear who put the sign there, but residents have taken to social media over the past year to express the views on Low Traffic Neighbourhoods (LTNs) set up in the borough, as well as Londoners in a number of other boroughs across the capital.
LTNs has been set up to encourage people to walk and cycle by stopping cars, vans and other vehicles from using quiet roads as shortcuts, as well as help to reach the Mayor of London’s plan for a cleaner and greener city.
However, a number of residents have taken to social media to complain. Many saying that directing drivers to the main roads has had a knock-on effect and causes heavy queuing trafficking leading to more air pollution on the roads that are now affected.
Some campaigners have even taken their local councils to court, in Hackney Horrendous Hackney Road Closures Ltd (HHRC) won an appeal at the end of March and a judicial review will take place later this summer. In Croydon, a court ruling in January saw the council remove a roadblock removed, set up under the LTNs.