Clean Air Neighbourhood

Clean Air Neighbourhood (CAN) Update

LBHF have launched their Clean Air Neighbourhoods (CAN), which takes a holistic approach to tackling air pollution for ALL in the borough. The CAN programme will seek to improve the healthy of residents through a range of measures and public realm improvements, including new trees, greening, sustainable drainage systems, pedestrian safety improvements, cycling and facilities and traffic access restrictions.

The council explicitly states that main roads, such as the Wandsworth Bridge Road MUST be included in the CAN programme and measures must be taken on the main road to reduce traffic volumes and prioritise pedestrians, cyclists and buses.

The previous TCPR traffic scheme forms part of this initiative. The council will be presenting the scheme to Full Council on Monday 17th October. Thereafter they will begin the regulatory procedures before turning on the cameras to the west of WBR later this year. This then begins the formal consultation process of the Experimental Traffic Order lasting 6 to 18 months.

There will be a lot of information from the Council including letters to every resident explaining how the scheme works, and details of how to register friends and family, etc. We will of course do our best to disseminate this information to you as well.

This is good news for WBR

The immediate improvements to the road (click here) are the first steps towards reducing the vehicle domination and the accompanying pollution on WBR. The science is counterintuitive; closing roads actually reduces traffic, even on the main roads. We have links to several global studies and encourage you to delve deeply into these here:

• Our Q&A on why supporting the scheme makes sense for WBR
• Explanation on how to escape the Traffic Negative Feedback Loop
• The Braess Paradox phenomenon
• Ted Talk explains the surprising way to solve traffic congestion
• Youtube video explaining Induced Demand

Traffic models have shown that by reducing the ‘leakage’ from the side roads the flow of traffic on the road improves.  Without the leakage from the side roads the volume of traffic entering the road can be controlled, e.g.. by single lane approaches at either end.

We have always made clear that if the camera scheme does not deliver the improved air quality and safety for Wandsworth Bridge Road that is anticipated, we will push the council hard to do MORE, not less.