The Labor leader of a central London council has written to Sadiq Khan and the deputy prime minister, Angela Rayner, expressing concern over a plan to ban traffic from Oxford Street. The Mayor of London announced on Tuesday 17 September that he would designate the world-famous shopping destination as a Mayoral Development Area (MDA), taking on planning powers normally reserved for Westminster City Council.
The mayor also wants to create a Mayoral Development Corporation (MDC) which would have its own planning powers and be able to override Westminster Council. There are already MDCs in place in Old Oak Common and the former Olympic Park. Westminster council leader, Councilor Adam Hug, said on X: “I have written to the Deputy First Minister and the Mayor on behalf of my administration setting out our top 10 concerns following the recent announcement about pedestrians on Oxford Street. We believe they need to be properly addressed. before some final decisions are made.”
In his letter, Cllr Hug asked: “How can a fully pedestrianized system be delivered in a way that does not significantly increase traffic congestion in the nearby narrow residential streets or degrade air quality by displacing buses and taxis?”
He added that “careful consideration must be given to ensure the redesign of bus routes minimizes the impact on the local network, while maintaining access for those who need buses most”.
There needs to be a “wholesale approach to transport in and around the West End”
He also wrote: “Further steps will need to be taken to reduce rats running through residential areas, learning from the plan in Fitzrovia which is part of Westminster’s existing Oxford Street project. If the Mayor and Government are committed to a full pedestrianization of 1.9 km of street, including additional works going into Camden, this will require a wholesale thinking of transport in and around the West End, supported by delivery capacity to match, discussed further below, to minimize impact and effectively implement any new scheme. ”
The council leader also asked:
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What is the size of the MDA, the purpose of the MDC and are any of them necessary?
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How will you engage with local residents about your plans for the scheme and ensure local representation and the protection of the resident voice going forward?
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How should you minimize the impact on residents and businesses when transforming the street?
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How should a pedestrian space be designed and managed to protect the public?
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How can a new system protect access for older people, people with disabilities and families with young children?
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What opportunities does mayoral and state funding provide to do something new beyond pedestrians?
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What can be done to make cycling work better in and around Oxford Street?
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How should the municipality be compensated for its previous investment?
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What happens when the work is done?
“I don’t want a managed decline of Oxford Street”
A spokesperson for Mr Khan told the Evening Standard: “Oxford Street was once the jewel in the crown of the UK’s retail sector but there is no doubt that it has suffered in recent years and urgent action is needed to give the iconic high street a new lease This is why the Mayor has announced bold new plans to pedestrianize Oxford Street, to increase footfall and encourage people to stay longer, boosting growth in London and around the country.
The Mayor said on Tuesday: “What we know is that now in this part of London we have two fantastic world-class stations serving a world-class rail line – the Elizabeth line and Bond Street and Tottenham Court Road. So there are options that people use now to get to this part of London they used to drive or take a taxi or use a bus.
He also said he would make sure to talk to disabled residents so that “sideways” could be installed, which would be used by cabs to drop people off and pick them up. The mayor then mentioned that people could use the Hopper price to save money.
“(After using) the bus that stops at one end of a pedestrianized Oxford Street,” thought Khan, “people can hop on another bus on the other side, as long as it’s within an hour and not pay a penny more.” He added: “Some (buses) may stop, some may be diverted. We will work with residents and the council and TfL to get the best possible timetable.”
Of possible congestion elsewhere as a result of the change, Khan said: “I’ve seen in other parts of the world, in other parts of the country, in other parts of the city, pedestrian streets lead to progress and lead to improvements. It’s really important to take dealing with concerns that people have, but not letting the powers that be maintain the status quo.
“The status quo is leading to the managed decline of this street. I don’t want a managed decline of Oxford Street, I want it back to its former glory but even better.”
The mayor added: “We will work with the council; it is not a question of bypassing the council. We are working with the council.”
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