The High Court has quashed six permanent Low Traffic Neighbourhood (LTN) schemes in Croydon after a judge ruled they were unlawfully introduced to help plug the borough's dire finances. Mr Justice Pepperall concluded on Wednesday that the council had abused its statutory powers by making revenue the primary motive for the traffic restrictions.
The schemes at Albert Road, Dalmally Road, Elmers Road, Holmesdale Road, Parsons Mead and Sutherland Road will now be removed. The long-running legal challenge was brought by local resident Karen Lawrence and pressure group Open Our Roads.
The court found that Croydon Council projected a £10.7 million surplus from the six LTNs between 2023 and 2027. Public statements by Mayor Jason Perry, who admitted he could not remove the schemes because more than £20 million of enforcement income had been built into the budget, were influential in the ruling. The judge noted Perry's lack of enthusiasm for safety benefits and concluded his position was constrained by budgetary pressures.
The ruling also highlighted a council finance officer's warning in 2021 that failing to deliver the schemes could undermine services and financial support. Evidence showed mixed collision results and only slight environmental benefits, leading the court to determine that the dominant purpose was safeguarding enforcement revenue.
A procedural issue also arose: Ms Lawrence served legal paperwork late, but the council's flawed application under the Civil Procedure Rules meant it had effectively accepted the court's jurisdiction. Mr Justice Pepperall described the case as 'something of a procedural dog's breakfast'.
