The council decided to roll out an 'impossible' scheme that would divide the city into five traffic zones.

The scheme will divide Canterbury into five distinct zones. «impossible, controversial and unpopular» traffic scheme that would divide the medieval city of Canterbury into five zones.

Motorists in Canterbury were to be punished if they moved from one zone to another in accordance with the plans put forward previous Conservative-led council last year.

The zoning system, modeled on that of the Belgian city of Ghent, divides the territory into five zones and charges those who cross the borders.

The Canterbury Appeal Plan, which has not been dated, was part of a Canterbury 2045 initiative to get people out of cars and reduce emissions.

However, Canterbury City Council's new plan The Labor-Liberal Democrats coalition said that will consider a project that included zoning after the traffic plans caused «great concern» among residents.

Alan Baldock, leader of the council, told a Cabinet meeting on July 10: «Local plans are inherently difficult solutions».

“There is a process going on and we have no other choice but to follow it. This process forces advisors to make sometimes impossible, controversial, and unpopular choices.

The scheme is under review after it was discovered that that it causes distress to the inhabitants. Author: Christopher Pledger.

“Why should we think again? As officers carry out the mammoth task of analyzing the responses of more than 2,000 individuals and organizations to Regulation 18 consultations—more than 24,000 individual submissions in all—the message is heard loud and clear.”

As part of the plans, residents and tourists will face as yet undisclosed fines for crossing the border with ANPR cameras, unless they venture onto the new ring road. In some cases, this can result in a one mile trip taking ten miles.

Ben Fitter-Harding, the former Conservative council leader who initiated the plan, was adamant that this was not a «war on motorists» but to make life easier for residents.

However, Mr. Fitter-Harding lost his seat in this year's local elections after receiving widespread criticism over the scheme. He also had to fight an uprising by his fellow conservatives. One called it a «crazy idea» that «no one wants.»

In 2019, the Conservatives won 23 seats on Canterbury City Council, while Labor won 10 and the Liberal Democrats six.

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But a Tory defection from the movement's plan earlier this year saw the majority of the party disintegrate as four councilors switched places. to the new Independent Serve to Lead (ISLG). This led the Labor-Liberal-Democrat coalition to take control of the council in the May elections.

Unpopular schemes

The five-zone plan is being revised as new traffic filtering schemes and lower traffic areas increasingly revised in the face of local opposition.

Earlier this month, Labor-run Newcastle City Council announced that it would be conducting an internal review of LTNS implementation amid criticism from local residents.

Jesmond East LTN, which was installed on an 18-month trial basis, has become a subject of controversy, with a large number of locals opposed to it.

A petition calling for its removal has garnered over 4,000 signatures.

The government also appears to be becoming more anti-LTN after Transportation Secretary Mark Harper urged local authorities to review the schemes , in which there was no consultation.

He said: “For local authorities who have schemes that were not popular, were very controversial and not well supported, then it would probably be prudent, if they look at them again.”

In May, the Department for Transport banned councils from using £200m of public money through an active travel fund to install an LTN.

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