Low traffic zone in Lordship Park, Hackney 'led to rat run'

John - who did not wish to give his full name - said Lordship Park in Stoke Newington had become increasingly dangerous in recent years.

He blamed the nearby Stoke Newington low traffic neighbourhood (LTN) for displacing traffic and funnelling it down one street.

The zone was introduced three years ago, and blocks traffic in Stoke Newington Church Street from 7am to 7pm.

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Despite a 20mph zone, John claims accidents in Lordship Park have become more frequent since 2021 – with a car overturning in one incident last Sunday (September 29).

A car overturned in the road last weekend (Image: Supplied)

In a consultation about new traffic measures for Lordship Park, Hackney Council said that between March 2020 and December 2022, a total of 26 crashes in the street that resulted in personal injuries were recorded by police.

John now fears for his mother's safety when she crosses the road.

He explained: “It’s a very residential area, you’ve got quite a lot of elderly people living there and it’s difficult to cross the road.

“You get people racing for the lights and because of the parking spaces it's quite narrow.

“When it’s rush hour or the school run, you can’t cycle because it’s dangerous and there just isn’t space.”

John also said that traffic jams in the road have increased as cars search for a new cut-through after Stoke Newington Church Street was blocked off.

Tailbacks are a problem during rush hour, John has said (Image: Supplied)

John said: “If you’ve got great tailbacks on a residential street then it’s going to increase pollution, and that will have an impact on people’s health.

“I know some people who are entirely against low-traffic neighbourhoods – I’m not.

“The point is the traffic has been displaced to the detriment of the local community. I just think it’s been very badly implemented.”

He believes one solution to the problem would be to ease restrictions in Stoke Newington Church Street on weekdays, when there is less footfall than at weekends.

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Hackney Mayor Caroline Woodley claims the LTN was “widely supported” at consultation, and has helped reduce traffic in the zone between 7am and 7pm.

She added: “The same analysis showed no significant change in traffic levels in Lordship Park between the same hours.”

But she also said that the council was aware of concerns raised by residents of the street, and had subsequently implemented more road safety measures to warn drivers about the 20mph speed limit.

The consultation on further measures in the road, including the introduction of new raised tables to slow down vehicles, ended last month, with a decision expected later this year.