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Campaigners have called for “mini Holland” walking and cycling schemes to be introduced in towns across Britain after the first London pilot scheme produced dramatic results.

Traffic levels in 12 key roads in the “village” area of Walthamstow fell by 56 per cent, or 10,000 fewer vehicles a day, Waltham Forest council has told residents. The results sparked calls for other cities and towns, including Manchester, and other parts of the capital, such as Southwark, to follow suit.

In Walthamstow, partial road closures were introduced from February last year, with the aim of making roads with high levels of “rat-running” safer for pedestrians and cyclists.

Waltham Forest council was one of three boroughs to win about £30 million each to introduce “mini Holland” schemes as part of then mayor Boris Johnson’s plan to take his “cycling revolution” to the suburbs. Cycle-friendly measures are also being introduced in Kingston and Enfield.

Provisional results for Walthamstow reveal an overall traffic reduction of 16 per cent, including a slight increase in traffic on two roads bordering the “village”. Traffic in Hoe Street rose three per cent and 11 per cent in Lea Bridge Road. There were no reported collisions between last September and April, compared with 15 between September 2012 and August 2015. The scheme was strongly backed by residents before its introduction but a minority of businesses and residents protested at the town hall, calling for the roads to be reopened.

Full results — including an expected large increase in the number of people cycling and walking — will be released by the council early next year.

Simon Munk, infrastructure campaigner for the London Cycling Campaign, said numerous delegations, including some from abroad, had already visited Walthamstow.

He said: “It’s very clear that this is a replicable approach and other areas can do it. There is not some kind of ‘magic dust’ that means only Walthamstow can do it. This is what is called ‘traffic evaporation’ in action.

“It doesn’t cause chaos, despite what some people say. It’s capable of making our town centres and city centres, and communities where people live and work, work much better.”