Westminster Council has published the Traffic Management Order (TMO) proposing to change the flow of traffic from one-way to two-way working along Mortimer Street and Wigmore Street, as part of its Oxford Street Programme.
The TMO would introduce two way working for all traffic on Wigmore Street (between Wimpole Street and Harley Street); Cavendish Square (the northern arm); Cavendish Place; and Mortimer Street (between Regent Street/Langham Place and Great Titchfield Street).
The order would in effect provide drivers with a direct east-west route parallel to Oxford Street through Fitzrovia and Marylebone. The TMO would operate together with a proposal to restrict motor traffic travelling east and west along Oxford Street.
There is concern in Fitzrovia about the Oxford Street Programme displacing traffic into the neighbourhood as there is no area-wide motor traffic restriction being proposed.
According the drawings submitted with the TMO, the carriageway on Mortimer Street is not wide enough for loading. Instead the drawings show loading bays taking up footway space — that is, parking on the pavement.
A 24.5m long loading bay on the north side between Regent Street and Great Portland Street (outside Nos 74 to 78); and a 33.5m bay on the south side (outside Nos. 69 to 83) are planned.
The loading bays would operate overnight between 9pm and 7am and during the day between 10am and midday, with a maximum stay of 40 minutes (provided that continuous loading is taking place) with no return within 2 hours.
The southside bay is across the road from where residents from Westminster Council’s housing list are housed. They are unlikely to welcome the overnight loading.
The order would also reverse the existing one-way working for traffic in Great Titchfield Street (between Mortimer Street and Margaret Street) — from south to north (currently north to south). Before the TMO was published, the Fitzrovia West Neighbourhood Forum and Fitzrovia Neighbourhood Association expressed concern that this would increase motor traffic on Great Titchfield Street north of Mortimer Street.
Cyclists are being provided with advanced stop lines at light-controlled junctions along Mortimer Street but no other protective infrastructure.
Any objections or other representations about the proposals should be sent to Westminster Council TMO agents by email to trafficorders@projectcentre.co.uk quoting reference PCL/TMO/9333/AJ by 4 October 2023. All objections must specify the grounds on which they are made, states the TMO.