We’re furious as the council has turned a 10 minute drive home into an HOUR – they’ve boxed us into pens, it’s insane

FURIOUS residents have slammed a controversial council scheme that has clogged up their streets - turning a ten minute drive into an HOUR trip.

The measures in Haringey, North London, were designed to minimise the amount of traffic driving through residential streets but instead has left the locals fuming that their roads are clogged up and while it acts as a "cash cow" for the council. 

The scheme, known as a Low Traffic Neighbourhood (LTN), works by reducing the numbers of cars driving through a residential area and aims to prevent people using them as a cut-through to other destinations.

But the locals said that's "rubbish", claiming it is ruining their children’s bus routes, killing business, causing huge amounts of pollution - and is nothing more than a “cash cow” for the council. 

And they said their lives have been turned into a "nightmare" feeling like they are stuck in "coloured pens".

Speaking to The Sun Online, Angelos Tsangarides, 18, said: “They’re saying it’s for the environment but that’s absolute rubbish. 

“It’s causing more traffic, more pollution with people stopping and stalling - it’s also killing local businesses and hurting residents.”

LTNs are being introduced since the government increased their spending on making things easier for walkers and cyclists.

Motorists who live on the streets where LTNs are imposed should still be able to access them easily - but not according to those in Haringey.

Local mum Leala said: “It’s making our lives a nightmare - they put us into coloured pens, we're not animals, we shouldn’t be in pens - we should be able to go from A to B without using their boundary roads.” 

Nicolette Charles told The Sun she believes the LTNs cause huge amounts of pollution that has impacted her child’s health.

DRIVEN MAD

With LTNs on the rise it means more cycle lanes have appeared as well as wider pavements and planters on roads.

However, Claudia Matthews said it's “just not sustainable”. 

She added: “A 15 minute drive before is now taking over 40 minutes - I can’t even make a phone call in my office because the traffic is so bad.” 

Another protestor, Margaret Brazey, said she had been "putting up" with the LTN scheme for 27 months, despite promises from the council they would be removed after just three.

She added: "A 15 minute journey takes me 45 minutes - how is that helping pollution?

"My daughter takes two hours to get home from school, because the buses can't move... just get rid of them".

Councillor Peray Ahmet, Leader of Haringey Council, said: “We’re introducing the low traffic neighbourhood trials because we want to reduce the overall volume of traffic in and around these areas so that the whole community can benefit from cleaner air and safer streets.

"Evidence from schemes, not only in London but around the world, have shown this is possible.

“By supporting residents to walk, cycle and shop locally the low traffic neighbourhoods will also play a critical role in tackling the existing health inequalities in the borough.

“As councillors we live and work in the borough and it is not our intention to add extra travel time or inconvenience our residents.

“The schemes have been implemented on a trial basis so that we can see how they work in practice, as well as monitor air quality and traffic data. 

"We have made it a priority that we will engage with residents and businesses and want them to provide us with their feedback. 

"We will not hesitate to make changes to the schemes if there’s evidence that it’s needed and there are solutions we can put in place.”