Westminster City Council and the Mayor of London remain at odds over both the pedestrianisation of Oxford Street and licensing policy for the West End's night-time economy, according to Dave Hill writing for On London. The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government has confirmed that Transport for London will not be required to carry out a full environmental impact assessment before closing the stretch of Oxford Street between Orchard Street and Great Portland Street to traffic, expected to begin in the coming weeks. Cllr Tim Barnes, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Growth and Planning, wrote to the Westminster Amenity Societies Forum warning that "rushing pedestrianisation to meet the Mayor's arbitrary deadline risks creating serious problems for local people," noting that the Mayor's own submission acknowledged increases in noise and air pollution, with reports suggesting increased noise in Fitzrovia and Marylebone and air quality impacts in Piccadilly, while questions on accessibility, traffic displacement, bus operations, and servicing remain unanswered.
Separately, Westminster Council has issued a press release calling on the Mayor to increase policing and improve public transport to support the West End's nightlife, following responses to its consultation on a draft new licensing policy. The council is calling for more night bus services, for the Night Tube to run overnight on Thursdays in addition to Fridays and Saturdays, and for more visible, dedicated policing in the West End at night, noting that the size of the Metropolitan Police's licensing team has been sharply reduced. The council's position is that the biggest barrier to growth in the night-time economy is not licensing rules but public safety and neighbourhood concerns, and that policing and transport provision are the Mayor's responsibility to address. The revised draft licensing policy will be considered for adoption at the council's next full meeting on 16 September.
Cllr Barnes, who also sits on the board of the Oxford Street Development Corporation, which next meets on 17 September, said: "Our position on pedestrianisation remains simple: if it is to happen, it must be done properly."
Westminster and Sadiq Khan continue to disagree about Oxford Street and nightlife
The council is unhappy that TfL won't have to do an environmental impact assessment and the quarrel about licensing policy is not over
Tim Barnes, a councillor for West End ward and Westminster’s deputy leader, said
“Rushing pedestrianisation to meet the Mayor’s arbitrary deadline risks creating serious problems for local people.
“The Mayor’s own submission acknowledged increases in both noise and air pollution.
"Yet important questions about accessibility, traffic displacement, bus operations, servicing and deliveries, and the impact on surrounding communities all remain unanswered...
"Our position on pedestrianisation remains simple: if it is to happen, it must be done properly."
You can read David Hill's article for On London in full on their website.
