Locals Claim LTN Road Blocks Impede Emergency Services
Council leader says any potential issues already resolved
Ambulance on Leighton Road after a road block had been moved. Picture: Kim Newson
Residents in areas which have recently seen road barriers installed as part of Low Traffic Neighbourhood schemes (LTNs) are claiming that emergency services workers have told them they will cause delays in response times.
It is also alleged that fire engines are t0o wide to fit between the bollards and barriers placed by Ealing Council particularly when they are placed diagonally at junctions.
One resident says that they were told by London Fire Brigade firefighters based at Ealing station that they were unaware that the road restrictions were being put in place and had had no notice of further restrictions being planned. It is claimed that they only learned of the Junction Road access restrictions when informed by a resident and that, when they inspected the site, the width of the gap left when the bollard was in the down position was too narrow for their vehicles. The issue was escalated by local firefighters and the council say that now it has been resolved.
It is also claimed that paramedics working for London Ambulance Service at Hanwell believed their vehicles would not fit through the barriers. It is understood that, unlike the fire brigade, they are not given keys to unlock and lower bollards.
Ealing Council says it has consulted the emergency services on the schemes and TfL have also carried out London-wide engagement with them to cover all the LTNs being implemented. They say no objections have been received.
Councillor David Millican, Conservative councillor for Northfields Ward, wants a guarantee that the new traffic schemes will not hinder the emergency services.
He says, "The road blocks are now being installed and questions are already being asked as to whether the emergency services would be able to navigate the schemes, as the new road blocks create a barricade along Midhurst Road and Junction Road, meaning that vehicles cannot pass from one side to the other,
"You only have to glance at the road blocks to see that a fire engine couldn’t get through and there are big questions as to how much the local police, ambulance service and fire brigade even know about the schemes.
"I have written to the senior councillor responsible for the schemes asking for a cast-iron guarantee that the emergency services will be able to undertake their duties without impact. Heaven forbid if the new road blocks caused a genuine problem that risked life and limb."
A fire engine unable to pass access restrictions. Picture: Facebook
Council leader Julian Bell has responded to the claims by saying, “When introduced using experimental traffic orders, there’s a six-month statutory consultation period for residents to give their feedback. In putting in LTN barriers, we have had full consultation with the emergency services and I want to emphasise that. The barriers have retractable bollards in the centre, between planters, leaving sufficient space for emergency vehicles to pass through.
“Now, concerns have been raised about whether this is possible at one particular barrier – the Junction Road barrier in South Ealing – and, today, I’ve spoken with the Ealing Fire Station commander, who has visited the site and said there is access to all properties along Junction Road and adjoining roads and there are absolutely no concerns regarding safety to the public.”
A London Fire Brigade spokesperson said, “In May, the Government updated the Traffic Management Act 2004 in response to Covid-19, which set out the expectation for local authorities to make significant changes to their road layouts to give more space to cyclists and pedestrians.
“The Brigade supports these proposals in order to assist the recovery from the pandemic and to promote active travel, however we have written to Transport for London and local authorities to remind them that our current response standard is to get the first fire engine to an incident within a London-wide average of six minutes and the second fire engine within a London-wide average of eight minutes.
“Whenever there are road closures or changes to road layout on a station’s ground, firefighters will inspect whether they will have an impact on their response. If crews deem there will be a significant effect on them responding to an emergency, this will be raised with the council.
“We work closely with our local authority partners across London and are regularly in contact with them about the best way for us to be consulted and notified of road closures and other works.”
We asked London Ambulance Service for comment but did not receive a response.
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August 26, 2020
