London council faces legal action over trans-themed road crossings

A Christian resident is threatening legal action against Camden Council over four road crossings in central London painted in the colours of the transgender flag. She argues they amount to unlawful political messaging that violates her rights as a Christian.

Blessing Olubanjo, a Camden resident and member of the Christian Peoples Alliance Party, has sent a pre-action letter to the council demanding it remove or repaint the crossings, which feature blue, pink and white stripes. If the council refuses, she intends to launch judicial review proceedings.

The road crossings, located at Tavistock Place and Marchmont Street in Bloomsbury, were installed in 2021 to mark Transgender Awareness Week. At the time, Camden Council described them as “an important step in supporting the LGBTQ+ community within our public realm.”

In response to the legal threat, a council spokesperson said: “Camden is ‘no place for hate’ and we have a strong and continuing history of respect and support for everyone in our borough. We fight discrimination in all its forms and this includes being an ally to our trans residents."

However, Ms Olubanjo contends that the crossings breach multiple legal duties. Supported by the Christian Legal Centre, her case argues that the installations contravene the Local Government Act 1986, which prohibits councils from publishing material that appears to promote a political party or politically controversial viewpoint. The legal team claims the crossings are a form of “publication” designed to influence public opinion on a divisive issue.

Andrea Williams, chief executive of the Christian Legal Centre, said: “Not only is this crossing a matter of public safety and Christian freedom, it’s about the misuse of public resources for political campaigning. The crossing is a visual endorsement of a contested ideology, installed by a public authority in breach of its legal duties. This is not the role of local government.”

The letter also highlights concerns over equality and safety, arguing that colourful crossings can be hazardous for disabled and neurodivergent people. Documents from the council in 2021 acknowledged a “small number of concerns” from those with visual impairments. The Royal National Institute for the Blind (RNIB) stated that non-standard crossings could confuse blind and partially sighted pedestrians and their guide dogs. Ninety-three percent of blind people have some sight, and the RNIB emphasised the importance of traditional high-contrast black-and-white crossings.

Transport for London said it had paused new colourful crossings since 2021, commissioning independent research into their impacts. A report is expected later this year.

Camden Council said it had received Ms Olubanjo’s letter and “entirely rejects” the arguments.