LTN killed my business: Locksmith becomes second London dealer forced to move

A London business owner had to spend around £ 50,000 to move his store to another building after a low-traffic neighborhood (LTN) closed the store to through traffic.

Scott Callow, who owns Callow Master Locksmiths in Dulwich, was one of several Melbourne Grove business owners affected by the scheme, which sparked protests from local residents and business owners earlier this year.

The company, more than 20 years old, is set to open in a new building in Grove Vale on Monday after complaining in March of “a significant drop in trade since the road closures were introduced”.

A Twitter account called Reopen Melbourne Grove, operated by “concerned business owners” in the area, said in a post that the locksmiths were the second company to move due to the “unsolicited” road closure and that three others also had one Thinking about moving.

The road closure, which began in November, has ended motor vehicle access to Melbourne Grove, which remains open to cyclists and pedestrians, as part of a London-wide offer to reduce air pollution.

A London business owner had to spend around £ 50,000 to move his store to another building after a Low-Traffic Neighborhood (LTN) cut off the site for through traffic

In May, residents of affluent East Dulwich protested the closure of the Dulwich Village intersection.

At the time, a spokesman for the Dulwich Alliance, which brings together multiple stakeholders, told Southwark News: “We were able to make our point that 24/7 locked ambulances prevent passage, discriminate against the elderly, the vulnerable and mobility. affecting local residents and pushing traffic and pollution onto local residents and schools on neighboring streets.

“We want a solution that balances the needs of the entire community, young and old, and that doesn’t block traffic on some streets by increasing traffic jams on others.”

Residents were informed of the road closures in a letter from the council in June 2020, in which a consultation was planned for the summer of this year before changes are made permanent

In May 2021, Southwark Council initiated a review of the road closures in Dulwich Village.

“We are actively listening to local businesses and the needs of retailers along Melbourne Grove as part of the current consultation on the Dulwich Streetspace Trials and will make a decision in September – in the meantime we have already added more business parking spaces and close by Melbourne Grove, “Southwark Councilor Catherine Rose, Cabinet Secretary for Transportation, Parks and Sports, told MailOnline in a statement emailed.

‘We wish Callow’s all the best for the future in their new, larger space and are pleased that they stayed on site – we value all of our independent businesses and want to do the best for them and the residents.

“Businesses in the Dulwich area have received more than £ 22 million in assistance through the council and we are working on further work to further support the local economy and our main roads as businesses return to normal after the restrictions are lifted. ”

According to its website, the Council is currently analyzing the responses to the consultation on the closings.

“In previous consultations with people in Dulwich, respondents raised concerns about the high volume of traffic and road safety for pedestrians and cyclists.

“Then in 2020, the new need for social distancing required us to take steps to help people stay safe during the COVID-19 pandemic. We also had to help people limit their car use by creating routes to make walking and cycling safer, ”the website says.

The road closure has ended motor vehicle access to Melbourne Grove, which will remain open to cyclists and pedestrians, as part of a London-wide offer to reduce air pollution

“As a result, in 2020 the council introduced a number of systems as Experimental Traffic Regulations (ETMOs). We put these measures in place at this point to help promote social distancing on our main local highways by encouraging more people to walk and bike locally to avoid overcrowding on public transport.

“As these are experimental measures, we launched a public consultation process on May 17, 2021 to gather and understand local views and experiences.”

LTNs were introduced to provide social distancing on footpaths and while cycling during the coronavirus pandemic.

But the system has sparked controversy as many believe it is being implemented to “punish” drivers.

Footage surfaced in March of a blue-lit fire engine being stopped, a police car driver being forced to turn around and an ambulance weaving between traffic after an LTN jam built up on Chiswick High Road in west London .

Video recordings taken from an apartment overlooking the busy street with cycle path 9 showed how the emergency services on 25.

Angry motorists across the UK have accused the government of a “war on drivers” that blocked roads, increased traffic jams and increased travel times.

Angry residents in several London boroughs have protested LTN programs in their areas. MailOnline readers have already shared some of their LTN nightmares.

In many cases, residents have complained that the move resulted in the mostly quieter back roads being turned into rat runs by drivers who had to divert.

Photos taken in the capital at Tooting, Streatham, Balham, Islington, Mayfair and Victoria showed the new bike lanes empty with cars and vans standing next to them in heavy traffic.

The government is spending £ 225 million on similar measures across the country, particularly in Oxford, Manchester, Birmingham, York, Edinburgh, Nottingham, Derby and Cardiff.

A van driver complained about a regulation in Bristol, saying it would add 20 minutes to his journeys.

He previously told MailOnline: “These measures extend each journey by around 20 minutes per hour. That means I work longer for less. It’s crazy.’

“It was 3pm on Wednesday when traffic was normally light, but a traffic jam snaked more than a mile behind and in front of Steve.

“On August 3, the council reduced the space for motorized vehicles on Lewins Mead from two lanes to one.

“Since then, the passenger lane has been a thoroughfare for bicycles. Incidentally, during 30 minutes at the intersection, I only saw one cyclist who used the cycle path. ”