A 'desperate' ex-police officer claims he's being forced to lock his kids indoors with the windows and doors shut as clean air initiatives are funneling four-hour traffic jams past his home.
Ediz Mevlit says his children Melissa, 12, and Dilan, eight, have even been hospitalised from 'choking' on the fumes from the 'disgraceful carnage' outside his home in Palmers Green, Enfield, North London, almost every afternoon.
The 46-year-old explains his 20mph-limit street is now being used as a 'rat run' between the congested A105 and a parallel main road since Enfield Council introduced Low Traffic Neighbourhoods (LTNs) nearby.
LTNs restrict or ban vehicle access in designated streets and they have expanded in London during the pandemic, as the government moves to encourage walking and cycling. But critics argue that the scheme has led to extra traffic flow elsewhere.
Seven LTNS were scrapped in Ealing last month after they were found to increase congestion and caused 'no material change in air quality', according to the local authority's report.
Ediz Mevlit, 46, says he has been forced to lock his children, Melissa (left), 12, and Dilan (right). eight, indoors to protect them from car fumes
Mr Mevlit says there is 'disgraceful carnage' outside his home in Palmers Green, Enfield, North London, almost every afternoon as a result of LTNs
Mr Mevlit has become an outspoken campaigner on Twitter against the LTNs
Elsewhere, a review by Wandsworth Council last December found that levels of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) were higher at 11 streets as a result of nearby road closures but dropped when seven LTN schemes were halted.
During peak hours, Mr Mevlit says he either keeps his children inside and shuts the windows or he drives them two or three miles away for a walk in cleaner air - but he insists the damage is already being done
He said: 'I just want to protect my family. We shut all our windows and doors, so we effectively lock ourselves in. It's horrific.
'They've decided to provide the most affluent people with a low traffic neighbourhood and that's forced vehicles to be displaced in roads like mine.
'Sometimes the pollution gets that bad I have to take my children into a low traffic neighbourhood for a walk in clean air. Anywhere apart from being at home.'
In the past four months, Mr Mevlit says he has taken his 'wheezing and choking' children to hospital with breathing difficulties and he believes they will soon be diagnosed with asthma as a result of the traffic flow change.
In videos shared to social media on Sunday, Mr Mevlit documented the congestion on his road, which has a school on it, while : 'we are choking'.
Mr Mevlit said: 'They've been to the hospital with breathing difficulties and the doctors have tests planned. They'll probably be diagnosed with asthma very soon.
'They've been suffering from breathlessness and wheezing for about four months now. They cough and choke and the damage is already being done.
'We can't go for walks and going to the shop is a hazard. There's motorbikes and quad bikes travelling down pavements. It's absolutely dangerous and we've just been ignored.'
The 46-year-old explains his 20mph street is being used as a 'rat run' between the congested A105 and another main road since Enfield Council
