A Labour councillor for Lambeth told Dulwich and Herne Hill residents that low traffic neighbourhoods (LTNs) were “for their own good” at a hustings event last night (Thursday 28 April).
Fly-tipping, small businesses and health were also discussed, but transport issues dominated the event held at Herne Hill Baptist Church, Half Moon Lane, organised by the Herne Hill Forum.
The sold-out event began at 7pm, lasted two hours, and was attended by a vocal crowd of 150 people, and 100 on Zoom.
At one point, trying to quell a baying, pro-LTN contingent, Labour’s Herne Hill Councillor, and Deputy Lambeth Mayor Pauline George, said: “It’s for your own good! Climate emergency people! Your happiness is our joy!”.
Parts of Herne Hill are run by Southwark but a large part is run by Lambeth Council.
Liberal Democrat candidate for Dulwich Village, Richard Wingfield said her words “sent a chill down my spine” adding: “It’s not for the council to tell you how to live your lives.”
Lambeth and Southwark councils, both Labour-run, introduced LTNs in Dulwich Village and Herne Hill during the early 2020 Covid-19 lockdown, which has sparked fearsome debate ever since.
Clive Rates, Dulwich Village’s Conservative candidate said: “This LTN was an experiment and once the experiment was seen to have failed, it should have been removed. That’s where democracy failed.” He was met with a round of applause.
First time Green Party Dulwich Village candidate Christopher Langdon, said: “The process was deplorable. To implement permanent changes when people were afraid to use public transport damages the debate and it’s sad to see it reduced to people attacking each other”.
Richard Aldwinckle of the Dulwich Alliance has told the News of verbal abuse directed at anti-LTN shopkeepers. There was one incident where drivers attacked a cafe because they couldn’t drive through an LTN.
‘Complete and utter mayhem’ as moped drivers attack Dulwich café in LTN meltdown
Labour Councillor for Dulwich Village Margy Newens said the “the process was done in an emergency” and the council had just four weeks to implement it.
She said “Covid made it hard to meet the community” and amendments made, like reducing road closure times, showed Labour was listening.
An audience member later asked: “Why is fly-tipping happening and how do you reduce the issue?”
Richard Wingfield said Lambeth Council should subsidise bulky waste collection or make it free.
Clive Rates said the Tories would do a “big push around recycling” and consider “mega bins” – portable refuse containers where people can dump bulk waste.
Margy Newens stopped short of saying she would lower bulk waste collection costs, saying the borough needed more CCTV at fly-tipping hotspots.
The candidates were also asked what they’d do to protect children’s health. Labour’s Margy Newens said the greatest detriment to health “comes from poverty” which has “escalated under the Tories”.
Conservative Clive Rates said he would support local sports centres while the Greens’ Christopher Langdon said he would encourage local business to do sustainable refills to promote healthy food choices.
Liberal Democrat Richard Wingfield said cooking should be taught more in schools and entry to sports centres subsidised.
At the end, the audience was asked to raise their hands if the debate had changed who they would vote for. Only two people did so.
Comment: Get on our Soap Box and please do go out and vote on May 5th so the council represents you!