A major city in the South West of England has scrapped a traffic measure after driver backlash forced them to reconsider.
Devon County Council has revealed it will remove a Low Traffic Neighbourhood in Exeter which was put in place last year.
The scheme was hoped to create “safer and more attractive” conditions for residents but many drivers did not agree.
The removal comes after the council completed a public consultation of the LTN in May and found that a “disproportionately” higher number of the community were unhappy with the current system.
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The trial scheme affected streets in Heavitree and Whipton, it was supposed to encourage people to switch from driving to walking or cycling.
Overall, the review found that 82 per cent of responses to the LTN were opposed to it with only 18 per cent in support.
While the traffic measure is set to come down, until it's officially removed, drivers have been warned of the offences for travelling through the affected areas.
The Ladysmith Road/Park Road bus gate and St Marks Avenue traffic filter will still be in place until the council formally removes it.
While the public was clear in their resistance to the LTN, it was met with mixed reviews on social media.
One person warned that when congestion picks up again and there is no measure in place, the “people” will have a lot of explaining to do.
The person said: “Single occupancy car traffic will continue to clog Exeter's streets. No one who campaigned against low traffic has a leg to stand if they complain about traffic now.”
Meanwhile, someone else detailed how the removal was a “victory” for the public and for democracy.
The council also highlighted concerns around the scheme’s impact on mental health at the consultation stage.
For example, it was stated that some people have been experiencing increased isolation because of carers struggling to attend homes due to the traffic measure.
Residents also flagged suffering from anxiety about travelling to appointments as wheeling or walking isn’t always feasible due to inaccessible pavements.
The council detailed how if the scheme was to be made permanent, it recommended further consultation with disabled communities take place and that wider measures be introduced.
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In March, the Department for Transport said it would launch an investigation into how councils enforce LTNs and the effectiveness of other anti-motorist traffic schemes.
The Secretary of State for Transport explained at the time that the Government needs a “fair approach”, where local support is “paramount”.
