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Get cars and buses out of Park Lane, says Boris Johnson
Katharine Barney and Dick Murray05.11.08
PLANS to turn Park Lane into a pedestrianised boulevard lined with restaurants and shops were revealed today.
Traffic from Hyde Park Corner to Marble Arch would travel through a tunnel, releasing the land for "development and green space". The plan would be funded by new tenants in the pedestrianised precinct.
The proposals, in a document entitled Way To Go, are part of Mayor Boris Johnson's vision for London's roads and public transport.
Introducing the plans, Mr Johnson's director for transport, Kulveer Ranger, said: "Park Lane looks like part of a race track [but] it's supposed to be one of our premier roads. It could evolve into a boulevard and would be self-financing."
Also included in the Mayor's document are ambitious plans for 12 major cycle routes into central London, lifting restrictions against cyclists in the majority of the Royal Parks and a proposal to convert part of the Victoria Embankment into a cycle lane.
Mr Johnson added that it was an "utter disgrace" there was not one already.
A cycle hire scheme, similar to the Vélib in Paris, will be introduced with between 6,000 and 10,000 bikes available by 2010. Mr Ranger said the bikes' design and a credit card deposit would deter thieves.
Mr Johnson denied there was a hierarchy of forms of transport and said: "I believe that the cycle-ised city is the civilized city but I want to reassure motorists and pedestrians that City Hall has not been captured by militant cyclists. With the right mix of policies we can reduce congestion, reduce emissions and reduce the overall stress levels of the public.
"If you start the day crammed into a Tube carriage with a stranger's armpit in your face, chances are it is going to get you off to a bad start.
"If you have to squeeze your way onto your evening bus through a crowd of swearing, fighting children, chances are you will take that stress into your evening."
Mr Johnson admitted some schemes such as the pedestrianisation of Parliament Square and the extension of the DLR could be scrapped in the new Transport for London business plan which is due to be ratified today.
Reader views (32)
These ideas are fantastic but watch the jobs fly out of the capital as the companies just relocate to the East Midlands or somewhere else that will welcome them and their cars with open arms. London will just become a paradise for cyclists and pedestrians with no jobs.I imagine the exodus will begin next year as companies are forced to find enterprise zones to operate from as the tax burden and sheer nonsense of our road network strangles trade.
- Lightning Conductor, London
Well no need to bother with planning any tunnels from 2010 ALL traffic will be free to go west at BOTH ends instead. Perhaps we could pedestrianise Edgware Road as well as Park Lane with two bus lanes and a cycleway in the centre.
- Melvyn Windebank, Canvey Island, Essex
I think Suresh's Idea has merit, maybe she should forward it to City Hall.
For years living in London, the congestion was irritating, so I cycled or rode on my scooter everywhere.
In Cape Town it is open and nice, but we do only have 3-4 Million people here LOL.
- Stewart, Cape Town
Underground tunnels such as Rotherhithe force motorists to breathe more of their own fumes than usual. Good plan - let's have more of these please.
- Reg, London
Start the tunnel where it's actually needed, from north of the Marylebone Flyover in the Edgware Road, through to Hyde Park Corner. The Edgware Road is already crying out to be pedestrianised to accommodate the huge local demand for alfresco eating, shisha smoking, promenading, etc
- Will Salisbury Edgware Road Ambassador, London
Stretch all the bus stop points in the central London or build up areas to a minimum of three hundred meters and two hundred meters in the residential areas. This would make people walk and get fitter. Avoiding obesity. On all major roads in the Central London, the traffic lights should be minimum of the four hundred meters or more, between points to get the flow of the vehicles moving a lot quicker not necessarily faster. Bendy bus must not be operated in the central areas at all. There is no room for them. Only double deckers bus in the central area. Cut off points for all Coaches entering after M25 into London, Period. Let them drop their "cargo" outside M25 near a tube station/bus stops. It would help with the environment tremendously. All deliveries vehicles to operate after 10 p.m until 6 a.m in Central London. Simple but very effective.
- Suresh Karadia, London, UK
The Le Corbusian idea of putting cars through tunnels and having a pedestrian level above has already been tried in London. Just think of Beech Street and The Barbican. The remnants of this lofty plan are still visible - all those truncated elevated walkways around Moorgate and Aldersgate. The message they send to Boris is simple: it does not work!
- Paul Mc Donald, London UK
Get all the traffic off all Central London's streets. Make everyone walk.
- Tangomike, Kensington, London
Can we turn Jamaica Road into a Parisian Boulevard while we are at it? Why don't we build tunnels for all Londons roads ?And stop putting up low emission zone signs when we have 5 traffic lights within 100 metres....
- Mc, London
Firstly this road is the boundary of the original Congestion Zone and the free route through the enlarged zone so will it still be able to perform this function?
Also there are a large number of bus routes that use this road so what will happen to them and there passengers?
I take it the tunnel will be able to be used by double deck buses given that BOJO is removing the single deck artic buses which happen to be ideal for routes through tunnels!
As for NOT going ahead with the Dagenham Dock extention of the DLR I suppose this area will remain wasteland more isolated from London than Leeds! Boris I suppose dont care about this as it is not an area that voted for him.
As for what he said about giving cars freedom all this means is gridlock for bus passengers just wait to house prices plunge as areas will not be worth living in as you wont be able to get to work on time from outer London.
- Melvyn Windebank, Canvey Island, Essex
An excellent and no doubt innovative idea. However, the sort of shops that could afford the rents there would consist of (a) the usual anchor tenants, and (b) the usual designer houses. Both of these categories are already in central London, so more of the same will be - boring.
- Annabelle, london
Mindless drivel. The tube network will not cope and London will become a litter strewn ghost town. Motor traffic provides buzz and keeps order.
- Peter Seekings-Foster, Muildenhall, Suffolk
This is a bit rich Boris, considering you drive the wrong way down one-way streets and fail to stop at red traffic lights. I believe he just wants the major London roads to be made for Bicycles Only
- Keith Price, Luton, England
Yes Huds, indeed, I can read but what happens when cars exit from the tunnel and where pray? through Buckingham Palace at one end and Marbel Arch the other!
A mile long tunnel would take years of planning even without construction time avoiding sewars, electrics, phone cables and the Tube! btw Kingsway was already dug as tram tunnel.
Don't hold you breath dude!
- Jon, London
Interesting. Suppose its just a matter of expanding the Park Lane underground car park. If the tunnel ran the full length of Park Lane it would help releive the traffic to and from Mayfair.
Just wish they would come in with a moving walk-way for Oxford Street, maybe with some form of cover. Now that would lift the need for buses.
- Tony Islander, Herts
Great more cycle routes through the royal parks just what we don't need. its bad enough trying to walk through them as it is dodging manic cyclists riding off cycle paths. one can only imagine the self righteous aggression people out walking will have to face if they get free reign through the Royal Parks.
- Robbie, Kensington
Hello "Jon, London" can you read? The traffic would be in a tunnel, the road wouldn't be blocked off.
- Huds, London
Great idea. Let's get buses out of Oxford Street too.
- Adam, Harrow, UK
Anything that improves the quality of life in the Capital is to be welcomed so I understand the Mayor's vision for walking, cycling and improved river transport and construction of the Thames Tideway tunnel.
The Mayor says "We can do much more to help the transport development of the outer boroughs of London, to help people to live and work in the same area, rather
than being propelled with the great tide of people that is washed in to the centre at the beginning of the day, and is washed out again at the end". I hope this means that he is willing to support the Dagenhan Dock DLR extension that is essiential to the viability of thousands of jobs and homes and the Thames Gateway Bridge.
- Damien Vaugh, Greenwich, London.
The document omits all reference to previously proposed transport projects such as East London River Crossing, Cross River Tram, Greenwich Waterfront Transit guided bus and East London Transit guided bus. This on top of the decision to scrap the DLR extension to Dagenham Dock. Looks like the day after the US election is a great day to bury bad news.
- Jon, London
The pedestrianisation of Parliament Square. Is amarvelous idea,. But it must be totaly pededtrianised, including the restriction of mp's vehicles and and all parliament access vehicles during the hours of 10.00 and 5.00
- A. Winsley, London
Sounds nice but how in the name of common sense may one travel across London from north to south? As for Parisien, even the Champs' Elysee has traffic
- Jon, london
I think this is an outstanding idea. It will transform what should be a very pleasant part of London. Good thinking Boris!
- Watson, London UK
Great idea! The traffic up and down Park Lane is appalling. It should be a 'Parisian Boulevard' along Hyde Park. Could also do the same for Pall Mall and bits of Mayfair. Come to think of it, the same for the posh end of Oxford St and Regent St.
- Dhanraj, Basildon Essex
This scheme would have my full support and would transform the area. I wonder if the Mayor would consider a similar plan for the area north of Victoria Park in Hackney or if it's just a pleasent plan for Mayfair.
- Ben, London, W1
As usual from Boris a common sense proposal. Let's hope he can follow through.
- Bruce, London
wasn't there a great big park running parallel to Park Lane last time I was down there just ideal for promenading and picnicing in ?
- Squiz, Islington
About time a cyclist in charge made plans to modernise roads in London.
- Jason, Southwark, London
Barmy !
- Frank H., London.
Gasp! A positive, non-car scheme from Bojo.... Great idea! I would have expected something more along the lines of "Boris plans to turn Park Lane into motorway funded by council tax". Let's have more of this
- Mcw, London
Oh dear. First Boris Island, now Boris Boulevard. Keep your feet on the ground Boris and change things gradually without these grand projects that are deeply unpopular, ultimately fail and will lead to your downfall.
- Nobby Clark, Perth, Scotland
Sounds good, although the Velib scheme is not as extensive as the Paris version, where they had problems with people just riding downhill, leaving piles of bikes to be moved back out. Nobody seems to know where these cycling superhighways go either, would Finsbury and Victoria Parks be arteries like at Freewheel? Park Lane is horrible, the grass and trees of the park are cut off from the road by what look like hideous metal D Day beach obstacles. Some common sense from Bozza, shame about Parliament Square but at least some aspects of his travel policies makes sense.
- Dr Susan Porter, London
