The TRANSPORT COMMITTEE of the Greater London Assembly is investigating traffic congestion in central London’s retail quarter.
The Committee will look at the problem as it affects Oxford Street, Regent Street and Bond Street. The area, famous for its shopping, attracts an estimated five million visitors every week. Between 7am and 7pm from Monday to Saturday Oxford Street is restricted to buses, taxis and bicycles. Despite this, congestion is a constant problem. At times a bus ride along the mile-long road can take longer than it would for a pedestrian. Pre-recession surveys of taxi occupancy have shown that one in five taxis driving along the street does not have a passenger. Taxi occupancy on Saturdays is even lower.
Knock-on effects of congestion include increased costs to businesses from lost time and a less pleasant shopping environment. There is also the issue of air pollution. Taxis and buses are amongst the most polluting vehicles in London. Taxi exhaust fumes contain higher levels of the pollutants nitrogen dioxide and particulate matter than most other road vehicles. The area in and around Oxford Street has high concentrations of these pollutants compared with other areas of London.
Transport for London (TfL), Westminster City Council and the New West End Company (which represents businesses in and around Oxford Street, Regent Street and Bond Street) have developed proposals for the area in a document called the ORB Action Plan (the name ORB comes from the first letters of the three main streets). The plan covers not only transport but also shopping and the street environment. To help ease congestion TfL is planning a 10% cut in the number of buses that run along Oxford Street for each of the next two years. It is also creating new taxi ranks for several streets adjacent to Oxford Street, many of them will be next to or behind large department stores. The plan includes a general proposal to “work with the taxi trade to implement a series of measures to encourage efficient taxi use.”
What these measures are is not explained but it could mean directional taxi ranks (taxis on a particular rank will only take northbound passengers, for example) or even a taxi sharing scheme.
The Transport Committee is meeting with interested parties as well as inviting written submissions. It will report in the winter.