Car, lorries, and taxis are to be prohibited from Tottenham Court Road which will undergo a £35 million transformation.
From Monday to Saturday, only buses and bikes will be allowed between 8 am and 7 pm- when from March it is converted from one-way to two-way traffic.
Camden council believe that the changes will improve road safety and the air quality. Adam Harrison, cabinet member responsible for improving Camden’s environment, said: “Not having taxis in the daytime will lead to 25 per cent less traffic, with all the benefits for air quality and congestion that go along with it.” Any drivers who break the restrictions will face a heavy fine of £130.
However, the taxi industry dominated by the company ‘Uber’, fear the move will increase congestion and worsen pollution in surrounding streets such as Oxford Street.
Tottenham Court Road’s pavements are also being extended and a piazza has been created between the Tube station and Centre Point, ahead of the delayed opening of Crossrail.
Other changes are also to be made including a “diagonal” pedestrian crossing at the junction of Tottenham Court Road and Oxford Street, which is also funded by Transport for London and local businesses.
These plans are recent examples of taxis being banned from key routes. At Bank junction in 2017, a ban was introduced not prohibiting taxis during weekdays. Westminster council also has proposed banning taxis from Oxford Street during peak times.
What will happen to Taxi companies and how will traffic be diffused? How will we be able to get home?
