Greenwich Green Party welcomes the bold proposals put forward by Greenwich Council in its West Greenwich and East Greenwich Neighbourhood Management Project consultation.
For both the West and East Greenwich projects we support ‘Option A’ which would limit all through-traffic to essential vehicles and resident vehicles within specified areas (all addresses would remain accessible to residents at all times).
For too long both neighbourhoods have experienced excessive traffic, dangerous air pollution, and roads that are unsafe for children walking to school. Option A is a chance to tackle this across both areas and create safer, healthier and happier neighbourhoods.
In the East Greenwich proposals, Option B risks creating a funnel of traffic on Vanbrugh Hill that risks child safety, especially during journeys to and from school.
Greenwich Green Party believes these measures are important for child safety on our roads as much as they are about curbing air pollution. We are pleased to see that Greenwich Council is prioritising safety and has engaged with schools to encourage families to switch to walking, cycling and other active travel options.
We encourage Greenwich Council and local communities to work together to ensure that:
- The projects do not have a detrimental impact on disabled people, older adults and others with specific access needs
- The projects are constantly monitored and adapted to address any specific challenges, such as high traffic levels in neighbouring areas
We hope all residents and businesses will get behind these proposals. This will take an exciting step to make both East Greenwich and West Greenwich better places to live.
Finally, we urge elected Councillors to show leadership and advocate for the benefits of the proposals fully and honestly. At the moment officials and campaigners experience hostility from anti-traffic reduction campaigners who are unrepresentative of the local population. Proactive leadership can stop the debate being forced onto the defensive by angry voices, which have been boosted by the Conservative government’s recent rhetoric.