Andy, please look at the following link paying attention to the date it was published. Thank you.https://www.gov.uk/government/news/2-billion-package-to-create-new-era-for-cycling-and-walkingThis was certainly not a last minute decision (the matter was under discussion since 2017 or 2018), definitely COVID was used as an excuse to implement it (the social distancing reason did not exist before), nor was it an "innovative" idea - please cast your mind back to 2014 or 2015 when BoJo introduced the wider cycle lane along Embankment and his regret for not having pushed for more during his tenure as Mayor of London.https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-54180647As far as the local authorities throughout the country (not just London) are concerned, they either earmarked roads to close or had in their files requests from residents for traffic restrictions on their roads (the latter is the case of Dover House Road). But the implementation of the LTNs as well as the cycle routes (under the GLA for London) was done in a hurry, in unison almost, in the same way and with the same mistakes, at a time people were discouraged from using public transport due to COVID. What they all did as a massive mistake was closing roads to emergency services as well as black cabs (which happen to be public transport too, even if some people consider them transport for rich people only so they should be completely restricted if not prohibited (?)). Another massive mistake was not introducing ANPR cameras, mainly because, as it happened in London, TfL did not have the resources to do so. So in the case of Dover House Road, the residents living in the Putney Heath end could not get to the bottom of the road.What never happened was the detailed study of what proportion of the traffic in London, Glasgow, Manchester originated there or came from outside them. The principle of the LTNs and the cycling routes may be very good, but the implementation was badly botched - as many things this government is doing. And it all comes from Whitehall.
Ivonne Holliday ● 1894d