Equalities Impact Assessment
In October 2020, we published an Equalities Impact Assessment (EqIA). This assessed the potential impact of the Streatham Hill Low Traffic Neighbourhood on those with protected characteristics in law (age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion, sex) and socio-economic status.
The assessment was repeated in December 2020. Driven by feedback we had received from stakeholders it focused on analysis of car usage by those with protected characteristics given that car users they may experience increased journey time.
Primary findings: October 2020
Our initial EqIA did not identify any significant equalities impacts for the proposed changes. Providing safe (both road safety and reduced likelihood of infection) and affordable travel options to people from all groups sharing protected characteristics was seen as essential to improve equity in access to transport.
Potential benefits of the scheme identified:
- Creating a more inclusive street environment and reducing road danger with the potential to enable more people to participate in active travel. Specific groups identified:
- BAME groups: over‐represented in indices of deprivation and more likely to be exposed to transport related harmful impacts, such as traffic collisions, poor air quality and health inequalities.
- Lower income groups: less likely to be working from home, less likely to have access to a private vehicle, so more likely to have a particular need to walk/cycle in a safe environment without increased exposure to C‐19.
- Disabled people: much of current public realm / road network has the effect of excluding disabled people. The proposal seeks to address this. For example, a safe space for cycles can improve mobility and access for disabled people. The proposal also maintains access for those that do need motor vehicles for some or all of their journeys.
- All groups:
- A reduction in potential exposure to Covid-19 on public transport
- The potential for more physical activity, including play, in areas where amenities may be limited, offering the potential to address issues of obesity and well‐being
- A more attractive street environment as well as more physical space in which to operate for local businesses (many owned by BAME groups), likely to help reduce economic inequalities
The analysis also highlighted the following potential negative equality impacts;
- Potential for longer journey times for disabled, or older people who may be more reliant on travel by motor vehicles
Key mitigations identified in this EqIA were:
- Monitoring: collecting data and feedback to understand the impacts and benefits once the scheme had been implemented and enforcement began. Using this data to make changes to the scheme.
- Trial period prior to enforcement to allow for people to adjust to the changes
- No physical barriers on the roads preventing access to exempted vehicles
Review findings: December 2020
The December review was conducted after traffic counts had been conducted but before the independent analysis of it was complete.
Potential benefit identified:
As with the initial EqIA it identified that c Children are particularly impacted by poor air quality at the roadside and are also vulnerable to road danger. Both of which the proposal aims to address. Reducing road danger also has the potential to enable more disabled people to participate in active travel.
Potential negative impact identified:
Disabled people are less likely than the able-bodied population to have access to a car and travel less frequently than non-disabled people according to TfL data – Understanding the Travel Needs of London’s Diverse Communities, 2012. However those disabled people who do drive face potentially longer journey times. Full equality analysis can be found in the updated equality impact assessment.
Future Reviews
Analysis of stakeholder feedback, completed after the EqIA was updated in December, showed that three people contacted us highlighting issues with access for carers or a disabled person. Access to the GP surgery on Palace Road was also referenced and it is likely that older people, who tend to have higher rates of disability, will be more affected.
The EqIA for each trial LTNs is reviewed and updated as we gather data and feedback from stakeholders. Impacts on disabled people will remain a key focus and the data we gather will be used to develop our exemption policy and other mitigation.
Future reviews will benefit from additional traffic data and monitoring of air quality and bus journey times. Further analysis of congestion in and around the LTN will be performed as part of the stage 2 review. Additional counts are to be completed on Hillside Road, Palace Road and Probyn Road.
We will also draw on independent academic studies, such as this, that look into the issue of how equitable low traffic neighbourhoods are.
Additionally, as further post-implementation data will be available by stage 2, flow numbers from a longer period will be used in calculations from TfL counters to further smooth variability, providing a higher degree of certainty in results pertaining to the sites.