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Today’s announcement comes from the new Labour government’s Transport Secretary Louise Haigh, who has been the MP for Sheffield Heeley since 2015 (following a career as a public policy manager). She has since held a variety of roles within the Labour party, including acting as Shadow Minister for the Civil Service, Digital Economy, Policing, and more. Now in power, she sits as the Secretary of State for Transport.
She made headlines in this role by revealing Labour’s plans to renationalise British Rail a few months ago, and promising it would be completed within the first term of a Labour government. Whatever progress she makes on this is likely to be followed with keen interest.
The most recent announcement coming from Haigh’s office is that Labour will support 20mph zones across in England – or, more accurately, that they will give the power to local authorities to create and enforce 20mph zones rather than micromanaging the situation from Westminster. Haigh recently stated that “there’s no way me sitting in my office in the DfT [Department for Transport] can say ‘this road in Chester should be a 20mph road or not’, it’s completely ridiculous, so if they want to do that then that’s got my full backing”.
This marks a significant departure from previous political attitudes to Low-Traffic Neighbourhoods initiatives (LTNs), which Tory PM Rishi Sunak had publicly criticised on a number of occasions, stating that 20mph zones and LTNs are “an attack on the day-to-day lives of most people who rely on cars to get to work or see their families”.
The idea is that low traffic neighbourhoods (those with limited access for vehicles, or access with low speed limits, such as 20mph) will reduce traffic in residential areas, thus reducing the amount of noise and pollution, while making more space for pedestrians and cyclists. Another benefit is the fact that road traffic accidents at this speed are far less likely to cause a fatality (or even serious injuries).
They were introduced around the Covid 19 pandemic, and the government has invested heavily in them over the last few years, though some commentators have estimated that around 25% of them have now been reversed.
The policies have been implemented most widely in Wales, where the government has reportedly been supporting various local councils and other bodies in setting them up (including providing significant funding). However, other areas have also seen significant movement on LTNs, including Bristol and Bournemouth.
While the tangible pros and cons are quite easy to lay out and discuss, a lot of the real substance contained within this story actually comes from the political backdrop behind it all. Labour are effectively seeking to differentiate themselves from the Conservatives by encouraging (or at least empowering) local bodies to create new LTNs and 20mph zones.
The Conservatives (including Rishi Sunak, and senior Welsh representatives of the Conservative Party like Andrew Davies) labelled the schemes as part of ‘the war on motorists’ on numerous occasions, a catchphrase which has now become almost synonymous with the projects themselves. It is interesting to note, then, that Haigh has explicitly referenced the idea of ending the ‘culture wars’ around these governmental decisions.
On a more social level, the implementation of LTNs and 20mph zones obviously engage with a number of ethical concerns over the extent to which the government should limit the power of individuals (and local communities) to have autonomy over such decisions. To some extent, this is why the specific wording of Labour’s announcement appears quite tactical. While their support for the schemes is essentially clear, they have framed this latest development as one which puts more power into local hands (a far less divisive and far more universally supported position to take up).
For aspiring lawyers – including solicitors applying to vacation schemes and training contracts, or barristers aiming to secure pupillage, a huge number of points can be taken from this story and repackaged for discussion during applications (both in written forms and at interviews).
First, consider the intersection of law and politics here. Law students around the country (whether taking law undergraduate courses or the PGDL conversion course) will likely read this story and think of Public Law implications immediately. In fact, there are a number of questions you could tackle here:
There are other points to consider too, however – lawyers need to be aware of the political sentiment around Westminster at all times if they are to predict and prepare for future legislation which might affect their clients in any area. Being in touch with the general direction that Labour is moving in, therefore, is crucial.
For example, just last month, a number of financial sector individuals were increasingly voicing concerns about whether Labour would come down far harder on ‘carried interest’ (essentially bonuses within private equity, which are currently treated as capital gains, and therefore taxed far more gently). Labour also spoke widely about their Green Prosperity Plan in the build-up to the election, which could have significant ESG-adjacent effects on numerous industries (for example, reducing or discouraging investments in less ‘green’ energy business).
In short, then, aspiring lawyers can discuss this story both from a technical perspective (in regards to how the plan can be implemented and enforced going forwards legally) and a wider political perspective (understanding the context, where sentiment is headed, and how this is likely to affect the clients of a law firm or chambers, who will look to their lawyers for guidance in these areas).
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