• I AM afraid that those opposing pedestrianisation of Oxford Street continue to argue their case without due consideration of the facts and purely from self-interest with little consideration for the rest of the population and the millions of tourists who visit and shop there and who are essential to the success of the West End.

London is expanding at a tremendous rate, the population even in Westminster is growing rapidly.

Crossrail arrives next year. Huge new developments are due in and around Oxford Street over the next few years.

The culmination of all this activity is that millions more people will be using the UK’s most dangerous road.

There is no space to walk at the moment when the street is busy so where exactly are these extra people meant to go?

On average there is a collision here every week.

People are continually killed and injured every year with sickening regularity. Is this what we want in a so-called civilised society?

The suggestion that the displaced traffic will all go on to adjacent streets is simply not evidence-based.

Every pedestrianisation or street closure results in a good percentage of that traffic just not making the journey any more.

Then to suggest that there will be a commensurate number of collisions on the side streets is simply nonsensical when it’s simply the motorised transport coming out of Oxford Street not the people.

The Mayor of London’s plans include a substantial reduction in bus journeys in the West End so they will not cause the problems that opponents are suggesting.

As I have said, it is a pretty simple matter to filter out a lot of this traffic from the residential areas but I have not seen a clamour from residents before now to do this; but it’s not too late even now to work up a scheme.

The Mayor’s transport strategy is quite clear that motorised transport is the least important priority now and more of us are going to have to walk, cycle, or use public transport to go about our business.

Car use and ownership is falling rapidly in central London anyway so this is hardly a radical proposal.

I understand that some people’s journeys will be more difficult to make and I am genuinely sorry about this; but does it really matter that much if it takes a few minutes longer to reach the shops, our favourite restaurant or the cinema if lives are going to be saved?

It’s a small price to pay if we are going to improve the West End and make Oxford Street safe again.

We are one society not just a group of individuals and sometimes the collective good must come first.

PETER HARTLEY
Chair, Westminster Living Streets