One week after Oxford Street went traffic-free between Orchard Street and Great Portland Street, BBC London's transport correspondent Tom Edwards went back to see how it was working. Cllr Tim Barnes, Deputy Leader of Westminster City Council, spoke to BBC London Evening News.
Bikes still on the street
The BBC found cyclists still riding down Oxford Street and no sign of enforcement. Dockless bike operators say they have stopped their bikes working there, but, as the report put it, that did not seem to be making much difference. An ambulance also had to be rerouted around the street to reach an emergency.
Where do the bikes go?
The council says finding safe alternatives for cyclists is difficult. Tim explained why: "At the moment, we just don't know where this level of bike traffic can sensibly go. It's not just about looking at where in any one stretch they should be, it's how you create continuous paths."
Every journey takes longer
"The problem with taking Oxford Street out was it was London's primary east-west route, and every journey time is going to be longer as a result of that," Tim said. "Buses are taking longer. Taxis are taking longer. Emergency vehicles are going to take longer to get where they need to be. Cyclists are just one of the many users who are going to lose out in terms of journey times and convenience."
Residents told the BBC that diverted traffic is causing disruption in the surrounding streets and that bus journeys are taking longer, on top of the routes already lost. Transport for London says it will monitor bus times, and the major works on the street will not start until next spring.
Westminster will keep pressing for a plan that works for cyclists, pedestrians, residents and businesses alike, not just the stretch of Oxford Street that has been closed.
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