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The Monitoring Officer clarified to Council that the Council's decisions on Low Traffic Neighbourhoods were subject to legal proceedings which were ongoing. Therefore Councillors who had been involved in decision making on this issue had been advised to be cautious in what they said in public in order to protect the Council's position, should the legal proceedings progress to a court hearing.
Lorna O'Driscoll presented a petition with 9,776 signatures which related to the motion.
The Mayor confirmed that the debate and vote on this motion would form the response to the petition that had been submitted.
It was moved by Councillor Stafford, and seconded by Councillor Millican, that
This Council reaffirms its commitment to reducing pollution in the Borough and to improving facilities for cyclists and pedestrians.
This Council notes that while Low Traffic Neighbourhoods (LTNs)
appear to be a good idea in principle, poor planning, lack of
consultation and refusal to alter plans in the face of evidence by
Ealing Council has led to them not achieving their stated aim, and
indeed exacerbating the problems in some areas. The closure of
local distributor roads has diverted traffic in some cases, onto the
main thoroughfares which were already at capacity and in others,
onto narrower, quieter residential roads. This has added traffic to
these roads, reduced air quality and added dangers to residents
and their children going about their lives.
This Council also notes that 9,000 residents have signed the
petition against LTNs and that 3,000 people marched to the Town
Hall in protest in September; including (but not limited to)
teachers, medics, nurses, care-workers, elderly and disabled
people, regular cyclists and walkers, and young residents.
The Council further notes the application for judicial review of four
of the schemes.
This Council further notes that the failure by Ealing Council to
comply with its legal duty to consult the London Ambulance
Service before the implementation of this scheme may have put
residents lives at risk.
Therefore, this Council:
Condemns the failure of the Council to consult the London
Ambulance Service before the introduction of the LTNs
Expresses its disapproval of the lack of consultation with
residents and the ongoing refusal of Cllr Bell and his
Cabinet to listen to residents’ concerns.
Will suspend all the LTNs and remove all bollards and
barriers, and instigate a proper consultation with residents.
Councillors Bell, Sabiers, Sumner, Dabrowska, Rice, Kumar, Driscoll, Young, Conlan and Block responded to the motion.
An amendment was moved by Councillor Malcolm and seconded by Councillor Ball. A vote was taken on the amendment and the amendment FELL.
At the conclusion of the debate, a recorded vote was taken on the motion and the motion FELL.
Voting:
For: Councillors Dabrowska, Sumner, Kumar, Millican, Stafford, Young, Ball, Steed, Malcolm and Busuttil.
Against: Councillors Blacker, Manro, Rai, Sabiers, Camadoo-Rothwell, Block, Bell, Johnson, Mahfouz, J Anand, L Wall, R Wall, Martin, Woodroofe, Tailor, G Mann, R Mann, Dheer, D Crawford, K Crawford, Byrne, Rice, Sahota, Mohan, Midha, Cox, Donnelly, Burke, Murtagh, Dhindsa, Padda, Anjum, Summers, Aslam, S Ahmed, Sharma, Conlan, Lusuardi, Dhadwal, Dhami, Driscoll and M Ahmed.
Abstentions: Councillor Gulaid.