Fresh doubt cast over Oxford Street pedestrianisation as Westminster orders halt on works
Fresh doubt has been cast over Sadiq Khan’s plans to pedestrianise Oxford Street after Westminster Council said work should be halted while it mines the responses of residents in an ongoing consultation.
Council head Daniel Astaire, who is a vocal opponent of Sadiq Khan’s plans to take buses, cabs and delivery vans off one of London’s busiest roads, said no proposals put forward by the mayor so far had been “acceptable” to the council.
Residents in surrounding areas of Marylebone, Fitzrovia and Mayfair are concerned that banning vehicles from Oxford Street will divert traffic closer to residential areas in the affluent borough.
Astaire told a recent meeting: “When I took over responsibility for the Oxford Street agenda, the results of the consultation had just been received. Despite the errors, which led to its reopening, it was clear that the overwhelming majority of Westminster’s residents and businesses were opposed to the concept.
Read more: Oxford Street pedestrianisation to tie-in with Elizabeth Line launch
“TfL and the mayor are the main proponents of the changes to the street, but it belongs to the council and the decision rests with us. I have informed them (much to some surprise) that detailed work on a scheme is to be stopped.”
A consultation with residents on the plans, which are supposed to be rolled out to coincide with the launch of the Elizabeth line, is currently underway. So far, 20,000 responses have been submitted to the council.
The mayor said the capital’s busy shopping district will be pedestrianised by December to provide a traffic-free space in central London. While a final decision is dependent on consultation feedback, work is already underway around Oxford Street to prepare for the Elizabeth Line in December.
However, Astaire said three hurdles stood in the way of the mayor’s plans; firstly, that further development would only go ahead once a scheme had been designed to address resident’s concerns; secondly, that eight pledges be met and thirdly, that funding arrangements for the plans must be put in place for a 10-year period at least.
“Westminster’s residents are at the heart of this project. There will be no scheme put forward if these concerns cannot be met,” Astaire said.
A spokesperson for Khan said: “The transformation of Oxford Street is a joint project between Westminster council, TfL and the mayor, and has the potential to transform this famous street into one of the finest public spaces in the world, while bringing widespread improvements in the wider area. We continue to work closely with Westminster council to look at all the latest consultation responses in detail, and ensure everyone’s views are taken on board before a final proposed scheme is presented.”
Read more: How London’s 10 new Crossrail stations for the Elizabeth Line will look