Greenwich Council has revealed plans to ban ice cream vans from more than 30 roads across the borough after council officials complained that traders were causing a “nuisance”.
The plans unveiled by the Royal Borough of Greenwich would prohibit ice cream vans from trading in specific locations.
More than 20 roads on the list are in Woolwich town centre, while 13 are in the Greenwich area.
These include the Cutty Sark Gardens, Greenwich High Road, Powis Street and Beresford Square.
King William Walk, beside Greenwich Park, has also been added to the list as a result of its “sensitive” location in a World Heritage Site and Conservation Area.
Under the proposals, vendors would still be allowed to trade in the borough for up to 15 minutes on streets which are not exempt. They would then have to move to another location and not return on the same day.
A final decision will take place during a cabinet meeting for Greenwich Council on June 14.
The council said the ban would also improve air quality in the area by cutting down pollution caused by “engine idling”.
Vans need to keep their engines running even while stationary in order to power on-board freezers and a whippy machine.
Most run on diesel and release black carbon, a sooty substance that scientists claim can stunt the growth of children’s lungs and trigger asthma attacks.
A spokesperson from the Planning Inspectorate told MyLondon that long queues for vans would impact views of heritage sites such as Royal Museum Greenwich or the Old Royal Naval College.
It said: “The partial screening and cluttering of views would adversely affect the enjoyment of visitors to this area as it would make the experience of this significant tourism attraction less pleasurable and it would make it more difficult for them to appreciate the significance and attractiveness of the area.”
Camden Council introduced a ban on ice cream vans in 2019 for 40 streets across the borough to cut down air pollution.
The Standard has contacted Greenwich Council for comment.
