Westminster Council is to start construction work on its Oxford Street Programme after claiming a majority of residents are in support of the plans which were put out for public consultation last year.
However, results from the consultation show there remain concerns from people living in the surrounding neighbourhoods about motor traffic being displaced into residential streets, and a lack of provision to enable safe cycling considering the large size of the project.
“The £90mn upgrade for Oxford Street has taken a significant step forward as two thirds of respondents to a consultation of local people, businesses, and visitors gave the scheme their approval,” says Westminster Council.
A consultation had asked people to comment on the proposals to the changes of footways, traffic movements, motor vehicle access, cycling infrastructure, and signage.
“It’s heartening to see local people and businesses have given their support for our plans to improve Oxford Street and its surrounding areas,” said Geoff Barraclough, Westminster’s cabinet member for planning and economic development.
Changes at Oxford Circus, Marylebone, Fitzrovia, Oxford Street west, and Eastcastle Street were also included in the consultation.
“These schemes focus on providing more direct [motor] vehicle routes through the areas as well as improvements for pedestrians and the public realm. All five schemes received support from over half of the respondents to an online questionnaire and were approved to go ahead by the Council’s cabinet on Monday 11 December,” says Westminster.
However, these “more direct” motor vehicle routes are a concern for residents in Fitzrovia and Marylebone as they create a parallel through-access for drivers along Wigmore, Mortimer, and Goodge Streets who would not be able to travel along parts of Oxford Street due to the new restrictions proposed.
The lengthy consultation report produced by WSP for Westminster Council reveals these concerns.
The Marylebone Association commented that the changes to Mortimer Street will make traffic routes more organised but will also serve as an alternative route for non-bus traffic from Oxford Street.
The Fitzrovia West Neighbourhood Forum and the Fitzrovia Neighbourhood Association both questioned Westminster Council’s claim that traffic levels would not increase in Fitzrovia.
They too raised a concern about the proposed new axis along Wigmore, Mortimer, and Goodge Streets with the increased traffic and air pollution this would cause.
Both the Fitzrovia groups opposed the proposals to make Great Titchfield Street into a thoroughfare road, and highlighted a problem of reduced cycling space in Fitzrovia due to traffic flow changes.
For the Fitzrovia and Marylebone traffic scheme concerns about “traffic congestion/displacement remains the top theme for residents”, according to the analysis of responses by WSP.
However, The Fitzrovia Partnership, which represents the largest businesses in Fitzrovia, supports the conversion of Mortimer Street to two-way traffic.
But like the residents’ groups The Fitzrovia Partnership also raised concerns about the changes proposed for the southern part of Great Titchfield Street.
The London Borough of Camden also raised concerns about motor traffic displacement into streets north and east of Rathbone Place, including Stephen Street, Gresse Street, Charlotte Street, and Percy Street and highlighted the potential risks of increased rat-running by drivers, according to the report.
Both the London Cycling Campaign and its local group the Westminster Cycling Campaign said they were disappointed with the lack of ambition in the programme to reduce motor traffic in neighbourhoods adjoining Oxford Street and the near absence of any new cycling infrastructure to make riders safer.
A key concern was that the council, like the previous administration, still seems to view cycling as a nuisance rather than something that should be enabled by good infrastructure and encouraged.
Westminster Council says it will “continue to work with local partners and people living in Westminster to refine designs for the street, with construction to begin on Oxford Street in autumn 2024”.
Work on Mortimer Street and Wigmore Street is due to start this winter.
“To enhance traffic capacity and provide appropriate diversion routes during construction, it is proposed that two-way streets on Wigmore Street and Mortimer Street are created in advance of works commencing on Oxford Street. Consequently, works on Wigmore Street and Mortimer Street are planned to commence in February 2024,” states a report on the decision by Councillor Barraclough.
Westminster Council: Oxford Street plans given go ahead by two-third of residents, visitors and businesses; Oxford Street Programme public consultation reports; Oxford Street Programme – Wigmore Street and Mortimer Street Schemes.