St Helens Council gives view on 'low traffic neighbourhoods'

LTNs have sparked controversy in parts of the country over recent months – including in neighbouring Warrington.

Last Monday, Warrington Borough Council confirmed that the controversial LTN in the Westy part of the town will be removed. This follows the conclusion of the trial period, which had been in place since June 2022.

'At this stage, there are no plans'

St Helens Council has been asked about LTNs.

Deputy leader Cllr Seve Gomez-Aspron, cabinet member for strategic transport, says the "benefits and barriers" of delivering LTNs across the UK "continue to be weighed by ourselves and the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority", with its strategic oversight of transport in the region.

“But at this stage, there are no plans to introduce LTNs,” he said.

“In our wider approach to transport in St Helens borough, we are committed to reducing traffic, cutting emissions and improving air quality, by supporting, promoting, enabling and encouraging walking, cycling and zero-emission public transport as the mode of choice where possible, while making the switch to electric and hydrogen more attractive and accessible for residents and businesses alike.

Cllr Seve Gomez-Aspron (Image: St Helens Council)

“Reducing traffic relies on a robust green infrastructure network, that we hope to deliver through sustainable transport packages such as Sankey Valley, linking railway stations to employment at Lea Green with Omega, and Newton Station to Parkside. It has to be accessible, and we are currently undertaking schemes at Lea Green and Earlestown Station to improve that.

“It relies on a reliable public transport network. We hope to take back control of our local bus network, but until the Government take proper action with our railway, preferably to bring them back into public ownership like most of Europe, then we will always be at the behest of private companies.”

Responsibility much wider than the council

But Cllr Gomez-Aspron says it is a "responsibility much wider" than the council.

He added: “Traffic is ultimately created by all of us as residents. So unless we start to have an honest conversation about how and when we use the car, it won’t be solved.

“Making space for that conversation within our emerging highway improvement schemes is absolutely vital in shaping them, listening to views from our residents, businesses and visitors, and making decisions based on all available data.

“We have recently consulted on our Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Strategy and are currently consulting on our Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure Strategy, closing on July 21.

"For more information about this consultation and how to participate, visit www.sthelens.gov.uk/electric-vehicle-consultation.”