As local residents living in Redbridge, we are experiencing everyday issues of pollution, noise and dangerous driving but despite raising this with the council, we have to date received an inadequate response. Living in the Evanston Gardens area – a high-density area with a lot of families – we have suffered years of pollution, noise and dangerous driving.

So, as an active and engaged community, we were delighted that Redbridge Quiet Streets trial was introduced. During the trial our roads became safer, less polluted and more peaceful, with limited traffic noise. Unfortunately the Redbridge Quiet Streets trial, which was to last three months in order to allow time to fully understand the impact, was cancelled. We were led to believe that we would be asked to provide our feedback on the scheme but instead the scheme was stopped without consultation with residents.

We have had found no joy in contacting the numerous people we have been in correspondence with at the council. This is despite the fact that costs of the key element of the scheme – a planter barrier at the junction with the A12 – are not onerous and certainly not compared to the impact that traffic is having on our day-to-day lives, health and wellbeing.

This is impacting on the air we breathe and on safety. Drivers caught in queuing traffic became impatient and it not unusual to find some travelling on the wrong side of the road, causing a risk to all. When the road is clear, we frequently have cars driven at excessive speed onto and along the road. In addition, as the traffic queues mount along residential roads pollution increases to more dangerous levels and leaves limited access for emergency.

There is mounting evidence about the impact of pollution on people’s health and in particular that of children. In addition, we know that Covid-19 has exposed the health inequality gap for BAME people, with evidence that this is linked to pollution as well as poor housing. Action is needed if we are to avoid a repeat of this tragedy. This has to start locally and we hope the council will act.

Vikram Morzaria,

Evanston Gardens, Redbridge