Special needs children ‘cannot face’ journey to school after LTN introduced

By Sophie Boyes

Children with special educational needs (SEN) are missing school due to a low-traffic neighbourhood (LTN).

A mother of two SEN children, who did not wish to be named, said her children “cannot face the journey” to school due to extreme traffic delays following the introduction of Streatham’s LTN trial.

The mum is a full-time carer for her two sons, whose complex educational needs mean the increased journey times have left them extremely distressed.

Her 11-year-old son has missed three full days of school since the trial began on October 23, and his brother tried to harm himself in the car after moving just 600 metres in 50 minutes, said the mum.

She said: “One day, he was so disregulated by the time he got to school that the taxi had to turn around and bring him back.

“He was in meltdown all afternoon because of that. The next morning he refused to come out and go to school because he couldn’t face the journey.”

The Streatham Wells LTN trial – expected to last between 12 and 18 months – introduced traffic filters in some streets, but these measures have made boundary roads like Streatham High  Road extremely busy. 

Opposition group Lambeth LTN watch said: “It is an irrefutable fact that some have benefitted from LTNs, but this has come at the expense of certain groups of people, not least those who have a disability.”

Other people have expressed their fury at the daily queues of cars, buses and emergency service vehicles in Streatham High Road.

Joanna Montgomery has lived in Streatham for almost 10 years and said the change in traffic happened overnight when the LTN was introduced.

She said there are “walls of buses” and “thousands” of people waiting at bus stops in Streatham High Road.

A Lambeth council spokesman said: “The Streatham Wells LTN trial which began at the end of October unfortunately coincided with emergency road works in the area resulting in traffic delays. Early indications are that traffic issues have now started to ease.

“The LTN aims to support people to walk or cycle, make streets safer and improve the local area. As people embrace these changes over time, as we have seen in other LTNs, those that have no choice but to drive will be able to do so more easily.”

Pictured top: Traffic backed up in Streatham High Street (Picture: Alexi Anstey)