Southwark Council’s ‘impartial’ report on the Dulwich Village low traffic neighbourhood (LTN) used research by an academic who tore down an anti-LTN poster.
Dr Anna Goodman, a scholar at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM), made headlines this month when CCTV footage emerged of her removing a ‘Stop the West Dulwich LTN’ poster in a local shop.
The video has fuelled accusations that academics paid to peer review LTN schemes are secretly biased towards them.
Anti-LTN campaigners in Dulwich have now highlighted that Goodman’s research helped inform the council’s equality impact assessment for the Dulwich LTN, introduced in March 2020.
The report concluded that some residents’ concerns about the LTN – including its impact on air quality and increased traffic on boundary roads – “were not evidenced”.
Following the report, the Dulwich LTN was retained and attempts to expand it were only scuppered following a local outcry in May.
The report referenced four studies co-authored by Goodman, who specialises in ‘evaluating sustainable transport interventions’, and works with the University of Westminster.
Goodman’s research was used to show that LTNs could lead to “reduced car ownership, lower road injury risk, and reduced street crime”.
At a Southwark Council cabinet meeting on Monday, July 10, Dulwich resident Bridget Furst asked: “Going forward will research and reports created by Dr Anna Goodman be considered unbiased by Southwark Council?”
In response, Cllr James McAsh, cabinet member for streets, said Goodman’s actions were “a very silly thing to do” and that “in a democracy, we want a free and fair exchange of ideas”.
However, he added that her behaviour “doesn’t affect the rigour of her research” which was “ultimately to be decided by the peer review process”.
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In a statement, Anna Goodman said: “I really regret taking down that poster from a local shop. Later that same day I returned the poster and apologised both to the person who made the poster and to the shopkeeper. I’d like to reiterate my apology to all local people involved in creating the poster who I’m sure, even if we hold opposing views, genuinely care every bit as much as me about doing what’s best for their local area.
“I’m engaged in a personal capacity with various campaigns in my local area, including around LTNs. This is separate from my professional role and my research, most of which is published in peer-reviewed journals.”
It is understood that her employer the LSHTM has not launched a formal investigation following the incident.
But a spokesperson for the LSHTM did say: “We are following our procedure for reviewing allegations involving LSHTM academics and so cannot comment further at this time.”
A Southwark Council spokesperson said: “Dr Goodman was the co-author of some of the academic research referenced in the Equalities Impact Assessment for the Dulwich Streetspace scheme; these were reports referenced alongside many others in the appendices.
“Any research and reports referenced by the council are considered on merit and after due diligence of the content, irrespective of author.”