Latest news with #trafficban
Telegraph
9 hours ago
- Business
- Telegraph
Sir Sadiq Khan: Most Londoners support Oxford Street car ban
Sir Sadiq Khan has said most Londoners support his plan to ban traffic on part of Oxford Street. London's Labour Mayor wants to ban vehicles from a stretch between Oxford Circus and Marble Arch, with the potential for further changes towards Tottenham Court Road. A previous attempt by Sir Sadiq to pedestrianise that part of Oxford Street was blocked by Westminster city council, which was then Conservative-run, in 2018. His latest proposals depend on him obtaining permission from Angela Rayner, the Deputy Prime Minister, to establish a new Mayoral Development Corporation, which would provide planning powers. The aim is for this to be created by the start of next year, with detailed proposals for traffic to be consulted on later this year. Oxford Street is one of the world's busiest shopping areas, with around half a million visitors each day. Sir Sadiq's office said 66 per cent of respondents to a consultation supported the pedestrianisation plan. A separate YouGov survey, conducted in September last year, indicated that 63 per cent of Londoners were in favour of the project. 'Moving ahead as quickly as possible' The Mayor said: 'Oxford Street has suffered over many years, so urgent action is needed to give our nation's high street a new lease of life. 'It's clear that the vast majority of Londoners and major businesses back our exciting plans, so I'm pleased to confirm that we will now be moving ahead as quickly as possible. 'We want to rejuvenate Oxford Street – establish it as a global leader for shopping, leisure and outdoor events with a world-class, accessible, pedestrianised avenue. This will help to attract more international visitors and act as a magnet for new investment and job creation, driving growth and economic prosperity for decades to come.' Ms Rayner said: 'We want to see Oxford Street become the thriving place to be for tourists and Londoners alike, and that's why we welcome the Mayor of London's bold proposals to achieve that. 'We will support the Mayor in delivering this ambitious vision, which will help to breathe new life into Oxford Street – driving investment, creating new jobs for local people and providing a boost to economic growth in the capital.' 'Oxford Street has roared back to life' Adam Hug, the leader of Labour-controlled Westminster city council, said: 'While the Mayor's formal decision today was not the city council's preferred outcome, it is far from unexpected, and it is now important for Oxford Street's future to move forward together. 'Since the Mayor's new approach was made public last autumn, Westminster has worked pragmatically and productively with the Greater London Authority to ensure that the plan for Oxford Street more closely meets the needs of businesses, visitors, and residents. 'Since 2022, Oxford Street has roared back to life after the pandemic. Such is the level of retail confidence that existing brands have spent £118 million refitting their stores in the last 12 months alone, according to Savills. 'Westminster city council will work constructively with the mayor's team to ensure the nation's high street is re-imagined in a way that works for visitors, shoppers, and our residents.'
BBC News
10 hours ago
- Business
- BBC News
Mayor of London to move ahead with Oxford Street traffic ban
Plans to pedestrianise parts of Oxford Street will move forward "as quickly as possible", the mayor of London has Hall claims two thirds of people support the principle of banning traffic on one of the world's busiest streets, with Sir Sadiq Khan adding that "urgent action is needed to give our nation's high street a new lease of life".Vehicles would be banned from a 0.7-mile (1.1km) stretch between Oxford Circus and Marble Arch, with further potential changes towards Tottenham Court Hug, Westminster City Council's Labour leader, said the plan "was not the council's preferred outcome" but "it is now important for Oxford Street's future to move forward together". Detailed proposals for traffic on Oxford Street, which sees an average of half a million visitors each day, will be consulted on later this year. 'Elephant in the room' Tim Lord, chair of the Soho Society, said key questions remained unanswered, including about "traffic diversion and the impact of moving 16 bus routes into narrow, congested one-way streets in Marylebone and Fitzrovia".He said: "No convincing plan has ever been presented; London is already a very slow city and will get worse."The elephant in the room is that Oxford Street's problems are to do with the quality and attractiveness of the retail offering, which is diminished by rents which are too high and which only ever increase."He added that there were questions about bicycles and "equality of access for bus and taxi users" and "people with kids and heavy shopping or with mobility restrictions". A previous consultation showed support for the scheme from local business owners (19%) and residents (34%) lagged behind visitors (62%).In 2018, Westminster City Council - then led by the Conservatives - blocked the mayor's plans to pedestrianise the street, citing a lack of support from 2022, the same council was widely mocked for a doomed attempt to entice visitors back to the area with the Marble Arch Mound, which opened incomplete, over budget and led to resignations. The mayor's latest proposals depend on him obtaining permission from Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner in her role as Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government to establish a new Mayoral Development Corporation, which would provide planning Sadiq said: "We want to rejuvenate Oxford Street; establish it as a global leader for shopping, leisure and outdoor events with a world-class, accessible, pedestrianised avenue."This will help to attract more international visitors and act as a magnet for new investment and job creation, driving growth and economic prosperity for decades to come." 'Roared back to life' Mr Hug said: "Since the mayor's new approach was made public last autumn, Westminster has worked pragmatically and productively with the Greater London Authority to ensure that the plan for Oxford Street more closely meets the needs of businesses, visitors and residents."Since 2022, Oxford Street has roared back to life after the pandemic. Such is the level of retail confidence that existing brands have spent £118m refitting their stores in the last 12 months alone, according to Savills."City Hall Conservative Alessandro Georgiou AM said: "We are concerned that the mayor is driving coach and horses through the plan drawn up by Westminster Conservatives, which had the popular support of residents and businesses, in order to secure himself even a shred of a positive legacy after last week's disastrous Spending Review. "The mayor's polling claims to show how strongly Londoners feel about this issue, but he has yet to make a cogent case for why he needs to take power away from local councils in order to achieve this rather than working with them."We will continue to hold the mayor to account on his empty proposals, and encourage him to be clearer with the public about the impacts on congestion, public safety and disabled access, as well as how much his plans will cost."
Yahoo
16 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Sir Sadiq Khan to pedestrianise Oxford Street ‘as quickly as possible'
Plans to ban traffic from part of Oxford Street will be implemented 'as quickly as possible' as they are supported by 'the vast majority of Londoners', mayor Sir Sadiq Khan said. Two-thirds (66%) of respondents to a consultation support the pedestrianisation plan, Sir Sadiq's office said. A separate YouGov survey conducted in September 2024 indicated 63% of Londoners are in favour of the project. Oxford Street is one of the world's busiest shopping areas, with around half a million visitors each day. Sir Sadiq Khan wants to ban vehicles from a 0.7-mile stretch between Oxford Circus and Marble Arch, with the potential for further changes towards Tottenham Court Road. Detailed proposals for traffic will be consulted on later this year. A previous attempt by Sir Sadiq to pedestrianise that part of Oxford Street was blocked by then-Conservative run Westminster City Council in 2018. His latest proposals depend on him obtaining permission from Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner in her role as Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government to establish a new Mayoral Development Corporation, which would provide planning powers. The aim is for this to be created by the start of next year. Sir Sadiq said: 'Oxford Street has suffered over many years, so urgent action is needed to give our nation's high street a new lease of life. 'It's clear that the vast majority of Londoners and major businesses back our exciting plans, so I'm pleased to confirm that we will now be moving ahead as quickly as possible. 'We want to rejuvenate Oxford Street; establish it as a global leader for shopping, leisure and outdoor events with a world-class, accessible, pedestrianised avenue. 'This will help to attract more international visitors and act as a magnet for new investment and job creation, driving growth and economic prosperity for decades to come.' Ms Rayner said: 'We want to see Oxford Street become the thriving place to be for tourists and Londoners alike, and that's why we welcome the Mayor of London's bold proposals to achieve that. 'We will support the mayor in delivering this ambitious vision, which will help to breathe new life into Oxford Street – driving investment, creating new jobs for local people and providing a boost to economic growth in the capital.' Adam Hug, leader of Labour-controlled Westminster City Council, said: 'While the mayor's formal decision today was not the City Council's preferred outcome, it is far from unexpected, and it is now important for Oxford Street's future to move forward together. 'Since the mayor's new approach was made public last autumn, Westminster has worked pragmatically and productively with the Greater London Authority (GLA) to ensure that the plan for Oxford Street more closely meets the needs of businesses, visitors, and residents. 'Since 2022, Oxford Street has roared back to life after the pandemic. Such is the level of retail confidence that existing brands have spent £118 million refitting their stores in the last 12 months alone, according to Savills. 'Westminster City Council will work constructively with the mayor's team to ensure the nation's high street is re-imagined in a way that works for visitors, shoppers, and our residents.'
The Independent
16 hours ago
- Business
- The Independent
Cars to be banned from Oxford Street ‘as quickly as possible'
Sir Sadiq Khan has announced plans to ban traffic from part of Oxford Street will be implemented "as quickly as possible" due to support from "the vast majority of Londoners". According to Khan's office, 66 per cent of respondents to a consultation supported the pedestrianisation plan. A separate YouGov survey conducted in September 2024 indicated that 63% of Londoners are in favour of the project. with around half a million visitors each day. Khan wants to ban vehicles from a 0.7-mile stretch between Oxford Circus and Marble Arch, with the potential for further changes towards Tottenham Court Road. Detailed proposals for traffic will be consulted on later this year. A previous attempt by Sir Sadiq to pedestrianise that part of Oxford Street was blocked by then-Conservative run Westminster City Council in 2018. His latest proposals depend on him obtaining permission from Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner in her role as Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government to establish a new Mayoral Development Corporation, which would provide planning powers. The aim is for this to be created by the start of next year. Sir Sadiq said: 'Oxford Street has suffered over many years, so urgent action is needed to give our nation's high street a new lease of life. 'It's clear that the vast majority of Londoners and major businesses back our exciting plans, so I'm pleased to confirm that we will now be moving ahead as quickly as possible. 'We want to rejuvenate Oxford Street; establish it as a global leader for shopping, leisure and outdoor events with a world-class, accessible, pedestrianised avenue. 'This will help to attract more international visitors and act as a magnet for new investment and job creation, driving growth and economic prosperity for decades to come.' Ms Rayner said: 'We want to see Oxford Street become the thriving place to be for tourists and Londoners alike, and that's why we welcome the Mayor of London 's bold proposals to achieve that. 'We will support the mayor in delivering this ambitious vision, which will help to breathe new life into Oxford Street – driving investment, creating new jobs for local people and providing a boost to economic growth in the capital.' Adam Hug, leader of Labour-controlled Westminster City Council, said: 'While the mayor's formal decision today was not the City Council's preferred outcome, it is far from unexpected, and it is now important for Oxford Street's future to move forward together. 'Since the mayor's new approach was made public last autumn, Westminster has worked pragmatically and productively with the Greater London Authority (GLA) to ensure that the plan for Oxford Street more closely meets the needs of businesses, visitors, and residents. 'Since 2022, Oxford Street has roared back to life after the pandemic. Such is the level of retail confidence that existing brands have spent £118 million refitting their stores in the last 12 months alone, according to Savills. 'Westminster City Council will work constructively with the mayor's team to ensure the nation's high street is re-imagined in a way that works for visitors, shoppers, and our residents.'
