Call for a halt to Oxford Street pedestrianisation!

Lack of access for cars and buses due to pedestrianisation will make Oxford Street totally inaccessible for people who can only walk short distances. Many Disabled people were not aware of the consultation on Oxford Street becoming pedestrianised so could not raise their concerns.

Inclusion London received the communication below from the ‘Better Oxford Street’ campaign and are publicising it because we are aware that the lack of access for cars and buses due to pedestrianisation will make Oxford Street totally inaccessible for people that can only walk short distances. Many Disabled people were not aware of the consultation on Oxford Street becoming pedestrianised so could not raise their concerns.

Oxford Street Pedestrianisation could be derailed – your help needed

There are major issues coming to light with the consultation on the pedestrianisation of Oxford Street. A lot of them caused by TfL incompetence, such as losing the responses from the Marylebone Association, Marylebone LEN and Fitzrovia West, and at least four other Stakeholder responses we know to date, and the use of the wrong email domain which has caused an unknown amount of other responses to be lost. The consultation is therefore seriously flawed.

The Marylebone Association has accordingly written to TfL calling for the Consultation to be withdrawn in its present form.

It is now time when an email from you could really make a difference, Westminster Council as TfL’s partner in the Consultation is unsurprisingly not happy with this turn of events. The Deputy Leader who was leading the project for WCC, has stepped down, for unrelated reasons, and they now appear to be more willing to listen to the concerns of the electorate than previously, and they are picking up on a great deal of voter dissatisfaction.

It is therefore time for residents to capitalise on this and make their voices heard.

Write in to make a request for more information and what actually WCC’s policy is, clearly stated, so the electorate know exactly where they stand. You need to ask WCC to state clearly: Do they support residents who are clearly against pedestrianisation? Or do they support TfL who are driving forward the Mayor’s agenda. Ask them; Why the rush, why not wait and see how many numbers crossrail actually brings in, let the many already sanctioned road changes in the area bed in first, Baker 2Way, Tottenham Court Road, Cycle Super Highway etc.

So please please email the new WCC Chief Executive Stuart Love: slove@westminster.gov.uk

and the Council Leader, Nickie Aiken: leader@westminster.gov.uk

Mention some of the issues such as: you had heard of the TFL consultation failings, have concerns, would like an explanation of what has happened, what will be the next steps and a concerns over effectiveness of WCC ‘s pledges on Oxford St, a call for clear red lines to be drawn, withdrawal of present WCC support for TfL driven project which is only for benefit of Mayor and a few of the large Oxford Street Stores to detriment of all the surrounding areas, businesses and residents, etc.

It is really important this is done ASAP due to the fact that if WCC is going to move on this there is not much time, barely more than a week until the pre-election shut down. After that it’s unlikely that any substantial decisions will be made.

Thanks for your help.

Better Oxford Street campaign
More information is available at: betteroxfordstreet.org and www.marylebone.org
Email: contact@betteroxfordstreet.org