To think London has become a parody of itself?

Apart from mobility issues, aren't those little businesses accessible by foot or bike?

Daily occurrence, can't move for feral kids jumping on police cars

This argument about LTNs is endlessly rehearsed in my local area too (Zone 2) and people come up with the same old saw about how it's led to bars, restaurants, shops etc closing down. It's horseshit. Places close down if they're not good or popular and/or if they can't make their rent and bills any more (which is a genuine issue, but a separate one). It simply isn't true for the majority of potential customers that they can and do only come to places if they can drive there.

The only people who think this is horseshit are idiots who think that everyone will walk or cycle everywhere because they want them to.

It really isn't horseshit. Where I live, I could drive to a set of local shops in 5 minutes where there is parking. Same for people who live near me. Loads of people would drive to the supermarket, do a big weekly shop (which if you have a car and shopping for a family you are never going to do on a bus) and then go to the other shops there have a breakfast/brunch in the really sweet little local brasserie.

Now it takes 45 mins to get to the same place because you have to go out on to very very congested main road and sit in idling traffic. So now I tend to order big shops online and I stopped going go to the other shops or the brasserie which is very inaccessible now. Guess what happened to the brasserie - which was always very busy and a brilliant business? The owner is best placed to say what happened to their business and I can tell you it was good and popular.

Of course this would be the case because the LTNs have totally siloed off little areas that make it hard to get to. Same for other shops, on my way back home I'd often stop at a bakery and a local off licence, now I can't even get to them without a huge out of the way detour to go there and come back round for what used to be literally a drive down a long road, a single turn and a drive down another. I'm not the only one in that situation. Loads of businesses had passing traffic like that where a quick stop on the way home was a source of good trade.

The delivery vans now have to do the journey I would do and will be sitting in idling traffic for ages. It's all a policy dreamt up by obsessive greens to no end (the time for cars on the road has increased because of congestion all on artery routes) and has really mangled the whole convenience of living in a big city.

Its very easy to get around by bicycle

I don't disagree, but it's not particularly onerous.

which I class as going in to get back out...

@spoodlesee I guess it depends where in SE and SW London you want to travel between (which may be your point!). I'm in Lewisham and have found it very easy to get the overground up to Waterloo and change onto the overground to SW London, or to London Bridge, Waterloo, Charing Cross, Cannon Street and pick up the tube.

That’s Oxford Street, which apart from John Lewis, Selfridges and M&S should be avoided!

@Boiledeggandtoast I know, but going from SE to SW or vice versa can still be a pain. And as I said transport here is much better vs other parts of the UK but compared globally? not excellent

@TammyOne I dunno, I moved to London in 2000 and coudn't even afford to live in Brixton, let along near Hampstead Heath. I lived in New Cross.

But we do have the DLR, which is great and very frequent, as well as the overground and buses. And, as a pp mentioned, it's only £10 a year (£20 for the first year) for me with my 60+ Oystercard!

This is arse-backwards thinking. If people didn't drive so much, buses would be faster and the air quality would be better.
This argument about LTNs is endlessly rehearsed in my local area too (Zone 2) and people come up with the same old saw about how it's led to bars, restaurants, shops etc closing down. It's horseshit. Places close down if they're not good or popular and/or if they can't make their rent and bills any more (which is a genuine issue, but a separate one). It simply isn't true for the majority of potential customers that they can and do only come to places if they can drive there.

TBF I think the poster meant ghetto in the sense that they're closed off except to a certain kind of person, and spookily quiet sometimes (South Kensington in summer is populated IME solely by armies of tradespeople, presumably putting in basement swimming pools and roof terraces for the people who clear out to the country until September.

I agree, the strongest anti-London views often seem to be held by people who haven't lived here and have maybe been down Oxford Street on a pre-Christmas Saturday once and have decided that's how all of London is all the time.

I adore Gail's chocolate cherry scones!

I think the main difference, as others have noted, is that as a poor ish person/ student/ worker you could live in nice areas. Now, Clapton or Leyton or wherever is currently arty may be heaving with edgy trendy young clubbers but in my opinion they are still grimy shitholes.
As a youngster I did frequent warehouse parties in ( then newly trendy) Hoxton or Hackney, but I could live within walking distance of Hampstead Heath or Potobello Market. I like the London parks and greener areas, but those are only for very long term residents or very rich people.
It does feel hollowed out as a city, much like Paris.

Exactly. There are many words to describe those areas, however, 'ghetto' most certainly isn't one of them...

What exactly does that last sentence mean? People quite obviously live outside London because that's where the more affordable housing is but London itself is where the better paying jobs/careers are. No one's 'fooling themselves', it's just how it is!

I don't click on DM links, but it's funny, living here, I know lots of other people who live here, and none of us seem as worried about that kind of thing as the people who... don't live here.

Although I still hold firm that Gail's is pretty crap. *I do have to admit to a past flirtation with the chocolate cherry scones, however.

It’s become a lawless jungle dangerous for working people …
read past the kids jumping on police cars to the robberies in parks. Working folk are here for thugs, and Labour to rob.

www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-14429343/Fury-weak-officers-Gen-Z-yobs-jump-police-car-chaotic-TikTok-streetwear-brand-marketing-stunt.html

you have whole ghetto areas where no one lives anymore - Knightsbridge and Belgravia being cases in point.

Ah yes, those well-known ghettos 8 Mile and Skid Row Belgravia and Knightsbridge.

It's ok if you are visiting. If you live there and want to travel by any method other than tube or bicycle it's hell. Low Traffic Neighbourhood nonsense means all traffic is forced onto a few main roads so getting a cab or driving anywhere takes tripple the time and there is bad air quality from so much traffic idling engines.

It used to be great when you could easily get around easily but now its terrible. this has in turned let to a loss of trade in the centre other than tourist trade so good places - bars,restaurants, shops are closing left right and centre.

Add to this oligarch/arab house buying and you have whole ghetto areas where no one lives anymore - Knightsbridge and Belgravia being cases in point. A handful of homes are occupied - most vacated until the summer when it becomes like Dubai/Moscow on sea.

Yes, so funny and so apt for that time!

People Just Do Nothing,

that show is amazing!

Gail's!

Gauls savoury stuff is nice but the cakes are overpriced