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Green light for dash to ease Oxford Circus crush
Ruth Bloomfield14.04.09
WORK begins today on a £5million revamp of Oxford Circus inspired by the design of Japanese city streets.
The scheme, based on Tokyo's Shibuya "scramble crossing", is intended to reduce overcrowding and make it easier and faster for people to move about.
The traffic lights around the junction will be changed so traffic will be halted in all directions for 30seconds during every two-minute sequence, temporarily pedestrianising the whole of Oxford Circus and allowing people to cross diagonally.
The scheme, which will be completed in November, will also involve ripping out barriers and street clutter, widening pavements and improving lighting. Parts of Princes Street and Little Argyll Street will be pedestrianised for alfresco dining and street entertainment.
Councillor Danny Chalkley, Westminster city council's environment and transport chief, said: "The Japanese have perfected the art of managing large numbers of people through good design and engineering, and the West End, like Tokyo's Shibuya district, is a fashion and entertainment hub which attracts visitors in huge numbers."
Richard Dickinson, chief executive of the New West End Company, said: "250,000 people enter or leave Oxford Circus station every day so it's essential their first view and experience of the West End is pleasing."
Reader views (8)
Been done in New Zealand for as long as anyone can remember! Why don't councils design more crossings like this? Ever occured to them that people like to be able to cross two roads at once?
- Luke, London
With Boris Johnson plans to allow Cyclists to run red lights it looks like a big game of "Knock down ginger" will start soon!!
- Melvyn Windebank, Canvey Island, Essex
That will really confuse all the cyclists as they jump red lights, whether turning left or not.
- Jules, London, UK
Scramble crossing or kamikaze crossing?!
- Frank, Home Counties, England.
How on earth can this cost £ 5 million? You can buid 70 two bedroom houses for that. Someone is having a laugh.
- Adrian, London UK
People should be using the underground subway as they are supposed to, it's what they were built for. The roads are for moving vehicles, not wandering pedestrians.
- Kimberley, London
There's been one South East of Battersea Park for years. It works. Geometry shows that two sides of a junction take longer to walk than the equivalent 1.4 across the diagonal.
- Martin H. Watson, Teddington
I don't know how long Japan has had these crossings, but Canada has had what they call "barn crossings" for at least 40 years. One-third traffic one way, one-third traffic the other way, and one-third pedestrians all which ways. Holborn at Kingsway has had this setup for the past year, and it seems to be working well.
- Phil Jones, London UK
