Low-traffic neighborhood plans are driving wedges between communities across the UK.

In the elegant, hilly district of Bath Lansdowne, Tim Spratt issued a warning to Wera Hobhouse, the Liberal Democrat parliamentary candidate who has represented the western England city since 2017.

The local Liberal Democrat-led council's plan to introduce low-traffic zones (LTNs) sparked a petition signed by almost 2,000 opponents, Spratt said. Hobhouse added that she would have to be conscious of fierce opposition from some quarters to remain a city councillor, with a veiled warning that the issue would cost her votes.

The Lansdown debate shows how LTNs and other measures to control noise, pollution and danger from cars are dividing communities across the UK.

Hundreds of other LTNs have been introduced or proposed across the UK. They caused particularly strong feelings in Oxford, Exeter and parts of London.

Tim Spratt said almost 2,000 people had signed a petition opposing the introduction of LTN in the area. Tom Pilston/FT

The issue is particularly important to the ruling Conservative Party, which initially encouraged but opposed the widespread introduction of LTNs during the pandemic. The party has pledged to make it more difficult to introduce the scheme, which aims to reduce traffic levels on laneways by preventing drivers from using them as they normally would through the street.

The three-connection scheme at Lansdown is one of five LTNs scheduled to be installed ly in Bath this year, following ongoing previous trial installations.

Both Transport Secretary Mark Harper and Chancellor Rishi Sunak spoke out against LTNs in the general election targeting motorists.

Harper is on the side of drivers, announcing curb plans for new LTNs earlier this year and said these latest measures are making life better, fairer and more affordable for drivers.

The Conservatives began opposing low-traffic and anti-pollution plans when they unexpectedly won parliamentary by-elections in Uxbridge and South Ruislip in July 2023. The Uxbridge campaign focused on opposing the expansion of London's ultra-low emissions zone tax constituency for polluting vehicles. .

Tim Bale, a professor of politics at Queen Mary University of London, said the new stance reflected skepticism among some Conservative politicians about the need for climate action.

Some people see opposition to anything that could be labeled anti-car as a trump card they can use in constituencies up and down the land, he said.

However, there are also significant numbers of voters who support LTN. The Conservatives lost seven of their 10 seats on Bath and North East Somerset Council in local elections last year after making opposition to the LTN a key issue in their campaigns.

The Liberal Democratic Party, which introduced this policy, won 5 seats, taking 41 out of 59 seats. A survey commissioned by the Department for Transport last year found that 45% of residents in areas with LTNs supported them, while only 21% opposed them.

You are viewing a snapshot of an interactive graphic. This is most likely because you are offline or JavaScript is disabled in your browser.

The government report said the plan appeared to be working and had little knock-on impact on surrounding areas.

Available evidence from the UK suggests that LTNs are effective in achieving the results of reducing traffic within the area. The impact (positive or negative) on the border road appears to be minimal.

The imposition of an curfew on Sydney Place in Bath last April has had a very positive impact, a resident of the street said.

The street used to handle 600 to 800 cars per hour during the morning rush hour, but that number has dropped to near zero. The resident spoke on condition of anonymity because many LTN supporters have faced harassment.

I spoke to many people walking up and down the street, the resident said. “It’s really amazing,” they say.

Guy Hodgson: I underestimated the level of vitriol it contained. [the LTN] Produces Tom Pilston/FT.

But the ferocity of some opponents cannot be misunderstood. Speaking about how residents reacted to the plans, Spratt said many were extremely upset.

Guy Hodgson, chairman of Walk Ride Bath, a pressure group supporting walking and cycling, said the level of anger had surprised him.

I underestimated the level of vitriol it would generate, he said.

James Wright, the Conservative candidate hoping to overturn Hobhouse's 12,322-vote majority, said the council was pursuing its own ideology and ignoring what was possible in Bath. He said it was inappropriate to force people to follow the Netherlands' high standards of cycling.

Wright said of the Netherlands that it was a flat country. But Bath has huge hills.

Wera Hobhouse: I'm very proud of what the council is trying to accomplish. Because it's a very brave Tom Pilston/FT.

Hobhouse seemed nervous. She said she was very proud of what the council was so bravely trying to achieve with coffee in the city My election comes in the middle. I swallow it.

Hobhouse insisted the council would carry out a dispassionate analysis of the Baths LTN, which remains largely temporary and could still be modified or removed. Concerns have been particularly raised that traffic congestion is worsening as LTNs push traffic onto nearby roads.

The council will examine the evidence and see where traffic is distributed, Hobhouse promised. Decisions must be based on data.

She called for the debate to become less polarized. We have to be able to disagree with each other, she said.

However, Hodgson noted that the LTN had evoked strong feelings associated with free competition. On one side was the freedom to drive unhindered. Another was the freedom to be free from the injuries, noise and pollution caused by the undisturbed driving of others.

Hodgson said there was deep content there. What price are you prepared to pay for one type of freedom versus another?

This article has been edited to correct the spelling of Lansdown.

Sources 1/ https://Google.com/ 2/ https://www.ft.com/content/a1a59bab-25aa-45f1-82cb-3e01ae3e800f The mention sources can contact us to remove/changing this article

What Are The Main Benefits Of Comparing Car Insurance Quotes Online

LOS ANGELES, CA / ACCESSWIRE / June 24, 2020, / Compare-autoinsurance.Org has launched a new blog post that presents the main benefits of comparing multiple car insurance quotes. For more info and free online quotes, please visit https://compare-autoinsurance.Org/the-advantages-of-comparing-prices-with-car-insurance-quotes-online/ The modern society has numerous technological advantages. One important advantage is the speed at which information is sent and received. With the help of the internet, the shopping habits of many persons have drastically changed. The car insurance industry hasn't remained untouched by these changes. On the internet, drivers can compare insurance prices and find out which sellers have the best offers. View photos The advantages of comparing online car insurance quotes are the following: Online quotes can be obtained from anywhere and at any time. Unlike physical insurance agencies, websites don't have a specific schedule and they are available at any time. Drivers that have busy working schedules, can compare quotes from anywhere and at any time, even at midnight. Multiple choices. Almost all insurance providers, no matter if they are well-known brands or just local insurers, have an online presence. Online quotes will allow policyholders the chance to discover multiple insurance companies and check their prices. Drivers are no longer required to get quotes from just a few known insurance companies. Also, local and regional insurers can provide lower insurance rates for the same services. Accurate insurance estimates. Online quotes can only be accurate if the customers provide accurate and real info about their car models and driving history. Lying about past driving incidents can make the price estimates to be lower, but when dealing with an insurance company lying to them is useless. Usually, insurance companies will do research about a potential customer before granting him coverage. Online quotes can be sorted easily. Although drivers are recommended to not choose a policy just based on its price, drivers can easily sort quotes by insurance price. Using brokerage websites will allow drivers to get quotes from multiple insurers, thus making the comparison faster and easier. For additional info, money-saving tips, and free car insurance quotes, visit https://compare-autoinsurance.Org/ Compare-autoinsurance.Org is an online provider of life, home, health, and auto insurance quotes. This website is unique because it does not simply stick to one kind of insurance provider, but brings the clients the best deals from many different online insurance carriers. In this way, clients have access to offers from multiple carriers all in one place: this website. On this site, customers have access to quotes for insurance plans from various agencies, such as local or nationwide agencies, brand names insurance companies, etc. "Online quotes can easily help drivers obtain better car insurance deals. All they have to do is to complete an online form with accurate and real info, then compare prices", said Russell Rabichev, Marketing Director of Internet Marketing Company. CONTACT: Company Name: Internet Marketing CompanyPerson for contact Name: Gurgu CPhone Number: (818) 359-3898Email: [email protected]: https://compare-autoinsurance.Org/ SOURCE: Compare-autoinsurance.Org View source version on accesswire.Com:https://www.Accesswire.Com/595055/What-Are-The-Main-Benefits-Of-Comparing-Car-Insurance-Quotes-Online View photos