CIHT has responded to the draft statutory guidance on implementing low traffic neighbourhoods (LTNs) published by the Department for Transport (DfT). The draft guidance, published in March 2024, sets out principles to help local authorities with implementing LTNs, including suggested best practice on local engagement, design principles and traffic signing.

The guidance follows a commitment made in the ‘The Plan for Drivers’ to produce updated guidance on LTNs.

DfT defines an LTN as

An area-wide traffic management scheme aimed at reducing or removing through traffic from residential areas, put in place using traffic signed restrictions or physical measures such as planters or bollards

CIHT believes that where LTNs provide an appropriate solution to local needs, they offer important benefits such as improved air quality, traffic reduction and public accessibility as well as supporting wider national objectives of decarbonisation and modal shift targets. In our recently published manifesto A transport network fit for all futures, we identified six strategic objectives, including ‘ensuring the transport sector decarbonises in line with legally binding obligations’ and ‘ensuring everyone can travel sustainably’. We support placed-based sustainable transport solutions and believe that LTNs that meet the needs of local neighbourhoods align with these strategic objectives.

It is important that the benefits of LTNs are maximised and shared among the whole community. Producing guidance on LTNs helps to provide knowledge of best practice to local authorities. This guidance is a welcome step; however, CIHT believes it is important that the guidance includes more detail on good practice and strongly emphasises an inclusive approach to ensure the benefits of LTNs reach everyone in the local area.

We have made the below suggestions to DfT to emphasise the importance of inclusive thinking in the process of implementing LTNs:

• More detail on scheme rationale and objectives would provide support to local authorities in communicating with residents.
• Clearer articulation of the benefits and disbenefits of LTNs would underline the need for an inclusive approach.
• More emphasis should be placed on accessibility in scheme design.  

To read CIHT's full response click here.

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