Planters blocking off roads to through traffic in Crystal Palace are set to be removed in the coming days.

The road closures are part of a Low Traffic Neighbourhood (LTN) which has split opinion in the area.

Planters in Fox Hill, Sylvan Hill, and Stambourne Way as well as a bus gate in Auckland Road could be replaced with ANPR cameras instead – A decision on this will be made at a meeting on February 15.

The LTN set to be removed also includes Warminster Road and Lancaster Road on the South Norwood side of Auckland Road.

A consultation on the scheme took place at the end of 2020 which received more than 4,000 responses.

It was discussed at a traffic management advisory committee earlier this month, which heard from opponents and supporters of the LTN.

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At the meeting, Eliska Finlay, from the Open Our Roads campaign said: “Closing these particular roads is causing pain and suffering for those living inside and outside the LTN.”

While Stuart Atkins, a resident of Patterson Road which falls in neighbouring borough Bromley, complained of increased traffic on the roads just outside the LTN like his.

He added: “We are just some of the collateral damage for your flawed and failed experiment.”

But fellow local Angus Hewlett said that having fewer cars on Auckland Road meant people felt safer cycling on the road.

He said: “We’ve heard from families with kids as young as six cycling together and kids as young as nine cycling to school independently.”

Replacing the planters with cameras would mean that people living within the LTN and emergency vehicles could enter the area while others would be fined for doing so.

The permits could also be extended to include school staff, carers and taxis.

The money for the low traffic neighbourhoods comes from Transport for London.

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Last week, the High Court ruled in favour of taxi drivers that Transport for London’s “Streetspace” plan affected them unlawfully.

Croydon Council will be considering whether this ruling impacts on the local schemes.

Councillor Muhammad Ali, cabinet member for sustainable Croydon said: “Whatever we do next with this scheme needs to be done right, and serve our objectives to reduce unnecessary car journeys and increase walking and cycling.

“I look forward to deliberating an updated set of recommendations that takes into consideration more local concerns, and clarifies the TfL judgement.”