London council told to immediately remove 'unlawful' Low Traffic Neighbourhood that raked in £1m in fines

5 June 2025, 08:38 | Updated: 5 June 2025, 10:39

Lambeth Council has been ordered to remove its Low Traffic Neighbourhood (LTN) scheme with immediate effect following a High Court order.

The local authority was told in May that its LTN in West Dulwich was unlawful and was ordered to axe the scheme.

Its has been rejected an appeal against the decision and told to pay £35,000 in legal fees.

LTNs are areas designated by councils, in which residential roads are closed to through-traffic and fines issued to motorists who enter them.

They have faced backlash from many residents, particularly in Lambeth's case from many drivers who have been fined for unassumingly entering the streets to which the scheme applied.

West Dulwich Action Group (WDAG) brought the case against Lambeth after claiming the street closures had prompted a surge traffic and pollution on roads bordering the zone.

Read more: Residents victorious as plans for London low traffic neighbourhood blocked

Read more: London council earned £1m in fines from illegal low traffic zone in just six months

The campaigners have welcomed the ruling and demanded that the council to repay the £1,080,580 in fines dished out via the scheme.

They added that the ruling sets “a powerful precedent” for residents engaged in similar battles across Britain.

A spokesperson for the group said: “This ruling is definitive – the LTN was unlawful. The council has lost, has been denied permission to appeal, and must now face the consequences of what that means.

“At the top of that list is the £1 million in fines it issued while the unlawful scheme was in place.“We now call on Lambeth Council to clarify whether it will refund those fines.

"This is not just about legality – it’s about fairness and public trust. If the law was broken, the money should be paid back.”

In the six months since the LTN was introduced, the Labour-run council raked in £1,080,580 from penalty charge notices (PCNs) issued to drivers.

This means the council took in more than £180,000 per month from the illegal LTN.

While fines were already costly at £130, Lambeth recently upped PCN charge to £160, though drivers are eligible for a discount if they pay quickly.

Responding to the ruling, Lambeth Council said it "remained committed to delivering our programme to reduce road danger for those most at risk and make our streets calmer, more community-friendly places."

"The High Court has ordered the removal of West Dulwich street improvements. No further fines will be issued, and we are removing the scheme as soon as it can be done safely," it added.

During a hearing earlier this year, the court was told that Lambeth Council workers were offered a wellbeing day after “hostility and anger” at a meeting over the proposed scheme.

WDAG’s lawyers described the meeting at West Norwood Library on April 22 2023 as a “fiasco” that lasted six hours, after which council workers were only able to record 21 responses because of the difficulties.