Government Says It Will Clamp Down on ‘15-Minute City’ Schemes in England

Local authorities that pursue such schemes may lose access to traffic camera data so they can’t use it to enforce restrictions, the government said.

An Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) camera on show during a press launch by the Police Service of Northern Ireland in Lisburn on Sept. 8, 2020. PA

Councils across England could be prevented from introducing schemes that involve excessive traffic restrictions, the government said on Monday.

The Department for Transport (DfT) said it will “explore options to stop local councils using so-called ‘15-minute cities,’ such as in Oxford, to police people’s lives,” referring to Oxford County Council’s plan to implement traffic filters that would impose fines on drivers who drive in certain parts of roads during certain hours.