A CONTROVERSIAL “mini-Holland” pro-cycling scheme which has divided a community has survived a legal challenge at the High Court.

The £27 million project is aimed at improving safety and the environment in the London borough of Waltham Forest, including Walthamstow village, by encouraging more walking and cycling and reducing the volume of traffic in residential areas.

It is one of three mini-Holland schemes now at various stages in the capital funded by the Mayor of London.

Critics say the scheme has caused poorer air quality, added to congestion and limited access to businesses in the area by closing roads and seeking to shut down traffic rat-runs.

A group called E17Streets4All composed of local residents and businesses applied to the court for a statutory review.

The group raised several grounds of challenge, including that the borough had conducted a “sham” consultation exercise which prevented members of the public being fully able to make their objections known.

Mr Justice Holgate, sitting in London, ruled there was “no merit whatsoever” in any of the criticisms raised and ordered the group to pay £10,000 plus VAT towards legal costs incurred by Waltham Forest defending the scheme.

The judge said: “The main concern related to road closures and their effect on access to premises and congestion and pollution outside the village.

“It is plain that the parties involved were fully able to make their objections and concerns on these matters known to the council.”

The issues raised “were given careful consideration,” the judge ruled. The suggestion that the consultations had been a sham was shown to be wrong by the fact that some aspects of the scheme were modified following suggestions made by members of the public.

Later Councillor Clyde Loakes, Waltham Forest council’s deputy leader and cabinet member for environment, welcomed the judge’s decision.

He said: “The council appreciates that people have concerns and hope that this provides another opportunity for us to reassure everyone in the borough that we take seriously the need to meet all the appropriate legal requirements.

“We will continue to work with the community to develop the programme which encourages walking and cycling, as we roll it out across the borough.”