Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about how the Council considered Ms X’s comments during a trial period of a low traffic scheme. There is insufficient evidence of fault by the Council and we could not achieve a different outcome by investigating the matter.

The complaint

1. Ms X complained further to our previous decision, about the Council’s decision-making process in early 2024 when implementing a low traffic neighbourhood trial. Ms X said new information had come to light which called our previous decision into question.
2. Ms X said the matter had caused her significant ongoing distress and inconvenience. She wanted the Council to end the trial.

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The Ombudsman’s role and powers

3. We investigate complaints about ‘maladministration’ and ‘service failure’, which we call ‘fault’. We must also consider whether any fault has had an adverse impact on the person making the complaint, which we call ‘injustice’. We provide a free service, but must use public money carefully. We do not start or continue an investigation if we decide:

• there is not enough evidence of fault to justify investigating, or
• we could not add to any previous investigation by the organisation, or
• further investigation would not lead to a different outcome.

(Local Government Act 1974, section 24A(6), as amended, section 34(B))

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How I considered this complaint

4. I considered information provided by the complainant and the Council.
5. I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.

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My assessment

What I have, and have not, considered

6. Ms X characterised her complaint to us as a request for a review of our previous decision of August 2024. I have not reviewed our previous decision, and the appropriate way to challenge it would have been via our review process and Judicial Review. We considered what evidence we needed to be able to come to a decision at the time. Had we required further evidence – including the information Ms X has now provided – we could have obtained it. We decided, on the information we did have, there was insufficient evidence of fault in the Council’s decision to implement the scheme. That decision stands and I will not reconsider it now.
7. I have considered Ms X’s more recent communications with the Council in 2025, relating to her ongoing concerns about the scheme during the trial period.
8. I have not considered events that took place after Ms X brought her complaint to us. I have only considered matters already addressed via the Council’s complaint process in 2025. Should Ms X wish to complain about the Council’s review decision of July 2026, subsequent to this time period, it is open to her to make a new complaint to the Council and then us.

The Council’s response to Ms X’s concerns in 2025

9. After the low traffic neighbourhood trial scheme began in late 2024 and early 2025, Ms X complained to the Council about the impact she said it was having on her and others. Her concerns included:
• unclear information on when the trial scheme would be reviewed, or objectives for evaluating its success or failure;
• lack of appropriate exemptions, causing access difficulties for Ms X and others;
• barriers to emergency service vehicles and waste collection vehicles accessing properties; and
• increases in traffic, pollution and anti-social behaviour, contrary to the scheme’s aims.
10. The Council addressed Ms X’s concerns in its response to her complaint. It explained steps it had taken to ensure peoples’ access to their properties. It confirmed all properties were accessible, although in some cases the route of access had changed. It explained enforcement was ongoing, and said it would communicate Ms X’s concerns to the relevant departments for further consideration. It confirmed it would consider the monitoring information at a review in spring 2026. It explained it would be adding to its Equality Impact Assessment, to include the updated evidence about how the scheme impacted people with different Protected Characteristics.
11. The Council responded to Ms X’s concerns and explained when it would be reviewing the scheme. As part of that review, which has more recently taken place, the Council had the opportunity to consider Ms X’s representations as well as any other views and evidence gathered during the trial. We could not achieve a different outcome if we investigated this complaint, as the scheme has been reviewed and any complaint about that review decision would need to be brought separately.

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Final decision

12. We will not investigate Ms X’s complaint because there is insufficient evidence of fault by the Council and we could not achieve a different outcome by investigating the matter.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman