Forum topic: Bowes low-traffic neighbourhood work starts amid protests

At 78% it’s perhaps a lot more representative than the 37% turnout for the area’s last council election, but more seriously input to our various democratic processes is not mandatory so political representatives can only work with what they have and these numbers are often seriously lacking: The UK’s EU elections always saw poor turnout followed by complaints about related EU democracy; consultations on fundamental drivers of our lives such as the London Plan, Enfield Core Strategy and Enfield Budget only get a handful of contributions, and then their outcomes gets jumped on when actioned. High rise towers near transport hubs, the closure and housing redevelopment of retail parks, a forced move away from cars in favour of feet and public transport; it’s all there and has been for several years. More particularly in respect of traffic it’s not going to go away because of the underlying data whoever is Mayor. If current plans don’t work the stated fall back is dynamic road pricing, and the last time that was floated such was its flaming at a national level that it’s doubtless in there as a threat rather than a serious option. Behavioural change, that’s the direction of travel.

1,600 residents recently signed to say they opposed this particular scheme which is a lot more than the 377 residents who signed Bambos Charalambous’ petition to Parliament in 2018 and far more than the 300 or so residents who completed last year’s perception survey.