Bid to save LTNs in Tower Hamlets to be heard in Court of Appeal

Campaign group Save Our Safer Streets (SOSS) is challenging Mayor of Tower Hamlets Lutfur Rahman’s decision to remove the LTN scheme in the London borough.  

SOSS says Mr Rahman’s decision was made unlawfully on the basis of a flawed consultation and decision making process, and ignored government guidance.  

LTNs were introduced in Tower Hamlets in 2020 in an effort to make the area safer and healthier, as well as to promote alternative transport methods to cars such as walking and cycling.  

However, in September 2023 Mr Rahman chose to remove the scheme entirely. The Tower Hamlets mayor had been calling for the removal of LTNs since being elected in May 2022. 

After Mr Rahman's election, two public consultations were conducted which found that more than half of residents surveyed remained in support of LTNs. Despite these results, Mr Rahman went ahead with removing the scheme.  

Following this decision, SOSS launched a judicial review challenge and in November 2024 had its claim heard in the High Court, which did not uphold the group’s legal challenge.  

SOSS then successfully applied to take its case to the Court of Appeal, which will now hear the group's arguments to overturn the High Court’s ruling to stick with Mr Rahman’s decision. 

The claim is being argued on the following grounds: 

• Mr Rahman’s consultation process was unfair. 
• The borough of Tower Hamlets’ Local Implementation Plan (LIP) was not taken into account in Mr Rahman’s decision. 
• Mr Rahman cannot legally act against the LIP, which was agreed by Tower Hamlets Council and Transport for London. 

The case will be heard in the Court of Appeal on Wednesday 26 November.

Local resident and SOSS campaigner Jane Harris said: 

“We are very encouraged that the appeal court thinks our case raises new and important issues of public interest and that we have a realistic prospect of success. This case could have London-wide implications for how the Mayor of London implements his vision for transport across the city, and it will set a precedent for local communities fighting to protect improvements to their local streets.  

“It’s important to note that the judge at our initial judicial review said that this case was not about the rights and wrongs of removing the LTNs, just about whether the decision to do so was legal.

“We believe it was legally flawed, but it was also just a bad decision. To go through with it would be harmful for residents’ health and safety, an appalling waste of £2.5m of public money and would make a mockery of the mayor’s claim to be a ‘listening mayor’. 

“We are deeply concerned about one London council developing transport plans that are totally at odds with what its own residents want, and with the transport policies of both regional and national governments.   

“We are still hoping that the Mayor of Tower Hamlets will listen to and work with local residents, businesses, schools and TfL to figure out a way for us to retain the many benefits of the schemes while tweaking any parts of the design that need improving.” 

Leigh Day partner Ricardo Gama, who represents SOSS, said: 

“The Aspire party made a manifesto commitment to consult fairly on any changes to LTNs in Tower Hamlets. Our clients are looking forward to arguing in court that, not only have Aspire not stuck to that promise, they have failed to go through the proper process of revising the Local Implementation Plan that the borough agreed with the Mayor of London.”