| |
An artist’s impression of the new council plans for Piccadilly Circus |
Magnificent Seven ride in with £10m bid to revamp Piccadilly
Ambitious plans to ease congestion by 2012 include two-way traffic flow system
PICCADILLY Circus is set to be given a £10million makeover to ease congestion.
Proposals involve reintroducing two-way traffic around the famous landmark for the first time in more than 40 years.
Transport chiefs at Westminster Council hope the ambitious scheme will put an end to the jams which blight Piccadilly, Haymarket, Lower Regent Street, Pall Mall and St James’s Street.
The current one-way system was introduced in the early 1960s to tackle growing traffic problems, but by restoring it to a two-way system, the council hopes to dissuade motorists from using “rat runs” in adjacent streets.
The revamp will also include new footpaths and lighting, with street clutter, railings and some street signs being removed. The scheme is the flagship proposal of seven major regeneration projects – dubbed “The Magnificent Seven” – to transform the West End in time for the 2012 Olympic Games.
Now the council is calling on London Mayor Boris Johnson to get behind the plans. It wants Mr Johnson to match the £20million the council has already pledged.
Leader of the council, Colin Barrow said: “These Magnificent Seven projects will help transform the centre of our capital ahead of 2012 when the eyes of the world will be upon us and visitors will rightly expect to be equally impressed with London’s streets, hotels, restaurants, shops and transport as they are with the world’s top sporting talent. The Mayor has been extremely supportive so far and has already invested tens of millions of pounds in West End projects.
“However, we cannot rest on our laurels and the task of enhancing this economically vital area of London, which attracts more visitors than any other part of the country, needs as much vision, drive and funding as we can muster.”
Among the other projects are an £18million restoration of Leicester Square, a £3.5million makeover of Portman Square and £2million to improve St Martin’s Lane.
Last month the council reopened Marble Arch after a £2.1million revamp, which brought its fountains back to life for the first time in more than a decade. |
 |
|
|
| |
| |
