Neighbourhood news, features, and comment
As reported previously, The Survey of London has published its latest volume, for the first time devoted to a single thoroughfare -- Oxford Street. The Survey, founded in 1894, is a research project to produce a comprehensive architectural survey of central London and its suburbs. In this second look at the publication, we focus on …
Continue reading "Oxford Street – from Perry’s Place to Wells Street"
The Survey of London has published its latest volume, for the first time devoted to a single thoroughfare -- Oxford Street. Survey of London, Oxford Street. Oxford Street in 2018. To the left, the former Lyons Oxford Corner House at Nos 14–24. Composite image. Survey of London, Oxford Street. Chris Redgrave. Historic England Archive. The …
Continue reading "The 200-year-old cosmopolitan and architectural allure of Oxford Street"
An exhibition of plans to re-shape the 'Oxford Street District' will be held this weekend at the building formerly known as the Fitzrovia Community Centre. Westminster council is asking local residents and people who work or visit the area what they think of their £150m strategy to "improve" the environment of the shopping street and …
Continue reading "Westminster council seeks local views on ‘Oxford Street District’ plans"
Westminster council has written to community groups in the neighbourhoods surrounding Oxford Street to announce that "completely new proposals" will be drawn up after the summer but that pedestrianisation is "off the table for good". In a letter signed by leader Nickie Aiken and cabinet member Richard Beddoe they say there is a very clear …
Plans to pedestrianise Oxford Street have caused Westminster council's Tory leadership and their Labour opponents to defy Mayor of London Sadiq Khan, and have given birth to a single issue party to fight the local elections this Thursday. Westminster’s cabinet member for Oxford Street, Daniel Astaire, has now told officials to bring a halt to …
By Griff Rhys Jones There are big plans for Oxford Street in the offing. You may already know of them and they are certainly going to affect the residents who live around that retail artery. There was a consultation with Transport for London, but it appears that they put up the “wrong address” on their …
Continue reading "If we don’t care for our own backyard then nobody else is likely to"
A report analysing the responses to a consultation on the pedestrianisation of Oxford Street has had to be withdrawn after it was discovered Transport for London gave out an incorrect email address for respondents to use. Last week Val Shawcross, deputy mayor for transport, hailed the results of the consultation as a success and said …
Continue reading "Oxford Street consultation report withdrawn after responses were not counted"
Better Oxford Street, the campaign formed by the amenity societies in Fitzrovia, Marylebone, Mayfair and Soho (and backed by Fitzrovia News) is asking residents and local business to say “no” in the current consultation on plans for the "transformation" of Oxford Street. The mayor of London and Westminster Council want to push ahead with pedestrianising …
Continue reading "Residents and business asked to say ‘no’ to Oxford Street plans"
Mayor Sadiq Khan this week revealed more details on his proposal to pedestrianise London's Oxford Street and confirmed exactly what residents in surrounding districts feared -- all vehicles will be simply diverted into neighbouring streets but with a reduction in buses serving the area. The plans put out for consultation this week by Westminster Council …
Continue reading "Oxford Street pedestrianisation plans divert traffic into neighbouring areas"
People living in the neighbourhoods near Oxford Street have come out strongly against plans to pedestrianise the shopping street because of concerns about displacing motor vehicles into surrounding areas, according to the results of a consultation carried out by Transport for London and Westminster Council and published this week. More than 65 percent of local …
Continue reading "Most local residents oppose or have concerns about Oxford Street plans"
A Fitzrovia charity has called on the Mayor of London to take tougher action to combat air pollution in central London by restricting motor vehicles on high pollution days. The Fitzrovia Neighbourhood Association, which campaigns on behalf of the 8,000 residents in the central London district, says "the Mayor must restrict motor traffic movement in …
Continue reading "Fitzrovia charity calls for tough action on air pollution in central London"
Residents in the neighbourhoods around Oxford Street and the campaign group Living Streets now stand facing each other in the first battle over how surface transport should serve London's busiest shopping street. In an email sent out by Living Streets the campaign group tells its members: "At Living Streets we were delighted when the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, …
Continue reading "Solving London’s air pollution hotspots requires action over a wide area"
Community groups from the four districts surrounding Oxford Street are calling on residents to oppose pedestrianisation of the shopping street by responding to a consultation saying they do not support the plans. The collection of associations in Fitzrovia, Marylebone, Mayfair and Soho say the joint consultation by Transport for London and Westminster City Council is designed in …
Continue reading "Neighbourhood groups say no to Oxford Street ‘transformation’ plans"
Westminster City Council will carry out the first of two separate public consultations starting next week (Monday 24 April) before deciding on how to implement the Mayor of London's vision for Oxford Street. "The consultation will start on 24 April, ahead of a second consultation on a preferred scheme in November 2017," says the West End …
Continue reading "Westminster council to hold two part consultation on Oxford Street plans"
Representatives of people living in the West End have backed Sadiq Khan's plans to improve air quality but have again stressed their opposition to pedestrianisation of Oxford Street. Transport for London (TfL) carried out a public consultation on a vehicle emissions surcharge and for improving the Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ). "We are happy to confirm our …
Continue reading "Residents support clean air plans but oppose Oxford Street closure"
Transport for London (TfL) is planning to change central London bus routes in an effort to reduce congestion and pollution on Oxford Street and to adjust the services before Crossrail trains start running along the Elizabeth line in 2018. TfL says it plans to change "23 central London bus routes to better match bus services with demand …
Continue reading "TfL plans for fewer buses along Oxford Street"
By Caroline Mawer Pedestrianising Oxford Street may sound like a great idea. The Mayor of London made it his manifesto commitment and the plans are being drawn up. But it needs to be a great idea for local residents and businesses as well as the global tourists the Mayor is apparently hoping to attract. We don’t want to have the surrounding streets even more …
Continue reading "Take action now to have your say on Oxford Street plans"
On 14 July The Times newspaper ran a story "Oxford Street to ban all traffic" and reported that "Vehicles will be banned from the busiest shopping street in Europe within four years to reduce congestion and pollution, the mayor of London’s office announced". The story was later repeated in other news media including the Evening …
Continue reading "What deputy mayor Valerie Shawcross said about pedestrianisation of Oxford Street"
Residents from Fitzrovia, Marylebone, Mayfair and Soho are to meet with London Assembly Transport Committee Members this week to voice their concerns over Mayor of London Sadiq Khan's plan to pedestrianise Oxford Street. In June the London Assembly Transport Committee heard from representatives from businesses in the West End, Transport for London, and Westminster City Council who …
Continue reading "Residents to voice concerns on plan to pedestrianise Oxford Street"
Fitzrovia will have only one Post Office to serve more than 8,000 residents and tens of thousands of workers and visitors after the branch in the W H Smith store at the Plaza Centre on Oxford Street closes on Wednesday. The only remaining Post Office serving the neighbourhood will be the Crown Post Office on the …
Continue reading "Post Office at The Plaza Oxford Street to close"
