LTNs: A big coproduction disappointment for disabled people
- By Brian Leveson
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- 27 Mar, 2022
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Secrecy, confusion and a lack of clarity is leading to some disabled people to not trust Haringey's "coproduction" processes for Low Traffic Neighbourhoods.
Anger, disappointment and confusion arising from a bizarre email from Haringey Highways following 4 'coproduction' meetings
Many disabled people and carers attended four workshops that were about and hour and a half long to discuss the impacts of Low Traffic Neighbourhoods on disabled people.
In the meetings we were lead to believe that our concerns about access and the disproportionate impact of LTNs on disabled people would be addressed. The meetings were about an exceptional circumstances exemption policy. So, you can imagine our surprise to get the email below on Tuesday telling us that the process would be handed over to a consultant.
What this means is unclear. We don't know if this will lead to a legal consultation or an actual exceptional circumstances exemption policy or something else all together.
In the meetings we were lead to believe that our concerns about access and the disproportionate impact of LTNs on disabled people would be addressed. The meetings were about an exceptional circumstances exemption policy. So, you can imagine our surprise to get the email below on Tuesday telling us that the process would be handed over to a consultant.
What this means is unclear. We don't know if this will lead to a legal consultation or an actual exceptional circumstances exemption policy or something else all together.
Haringey are ignoring the lessons of the Islington LTNs
Haringey's Equality Impact Assessment for St Ann's LTN says "both disabled and elderly residents
(sometimes overlapping) are more likely to have mobility issues that require
motor vehicle transportation. As such, there is potential for the LTN schemes
to indirectly discriminate against these groups as their routes through and out
of the LTN area will be altered, and this could result in increased journey
times"
These increased journey times create additional barriers to accessing service that disabled people already face.
In the Bruce Grove Equality Impact Assessment Haringey note "84% of disabled Londoners report that their disability limits their ability to travel, reflecting that disabled Londoners travel less often than non-disabled Londoners (1.9 compared with 2.4 trips on an average weekday).
We say, Haringey have not fully understood the information in the Equality Impact Assessments that they have collected. They have not discussed their findings with disabled people. Had they done so, they might have realised that they are increasing the exclusion and social isolation of a group that already experiences significant barriers to inclusion.
These increased journey times create additional barriers to accessing service that disabled people already face.
In the Bruce Grove Equality Impact Assessment Haringey note "84% of disabled Londoners report that their disability limits their ability to travel, reflecting that disabled Londoners travel less often than non-disabled Londoners (1.9 compared with 2.4 trips on an average weekday).
We say, Haringey have not fully understood the information in the Equality Impact Assessments that they have collected. They have not discussed their findings with disabled people. Had they done so, they might have realised that they are increasing the exclusion and social isolation of a group that already experiences significant barriers to inclusion.
People we have spoken to
We have contacted a great many people through social media and in person about this move by Haringey.
The overwhelming majority are angry and feel used, they think that a consultant is a waste of money. There is an increasing lack of trust in what the local authority is doing when it comes to listening to disabled people and addressing concerns.
People feel that the needs of disabled people will not be met in the design of LTNs and disabled people will be sacrificed to save the planet.
The overwhelming majority are angry and feel used, they think that a consultant is a waste of money. There is an increasing lack of trust in what the local authority is doing when it comes to listening to disabled people and addressing concerns.
People feel that the needs of disabled people will not be met in the design of LTNs and disabled people will be sacrificed to save the planet.
Lack of transparency
Our Freedom of Information Request, specifically about how the impacts of LTNs on disabled children, has been considered, was been denied by the council.
Despite 5 (five) public interest arguments for releasing the minutes and one public interest argument against, on balance, Haringey say it is not in the public interest to release the minutes for the Low Traffic Neighbourhoods Board.
Despite 5 (five) public interest arguments for releasing the minutes and one public interest argument against, on balance, Haringey say it is not in the public interest to release the minutes for the Low Traffic Neighbourhoods Board.
Difficult Parent rating
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