Living Streets, a not-for-profit organisation in London, describe “low traffic neighbourhoods” as groups of residential streets, bordered by main or “distributor” roads, where “through” motor vehicle traffic is discouraged or removed. There are lots of ways you can make a low traffic neighbourhood, but the main principle is that every resident can drive onto their street, get deliveries etc., but it’s harder or impossible to drive straight through from one main road to the next. Usually, this is achieved through installing "modal filters" which close off streets to cars at one end while allowing cyclists, pedestrians, and sometimes buses through. This makes driving more difficult, encouraging the use of alternate modes, and reduces traffic on quiet residential streets, making them safer. Low traffic neighbourhoods have social, economic, and environmental benefits.
