West End Letters: Traffic Lights | City

Publications by New Journal Enterprises

Home

Archive

Competition

West End Extra - LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Published: 1 October 2009

We’ll consult on traffic lights change

• COUNCILLOR Paul Dimoldenberg is absolutely right to ask that residents and businesses are consulted on the removal of traffic lights as per his letter (September 24), and in due course we will.
But to consult on a proposal that is, as yet, untested in the streets of Westminster would be a waste of taxpayers’ money.
We are currently working with Transport for London and the Mayor of London on a scheme that could eventually, if successful, remove 20 per cent of traffic lights in the city. This is supported by growing evidence that motorists drive more carefully without the certainty of traffic signals.
We were originally asked by the mayor to look at potential sites in Mayfair, however, we have identified a suitable junction in Victoria Street to carry out a trial to test the feasibility of the scheme by monitoring the effect on traffic flow and pedestrians.
Once this is complete, we will consult if and when we seriously propose removing traffic lights from specific junctions. This is surely what our residents and businesses expect.
Finally, we recognise some junctions will always need traffic lights, such as Oxford Circus, where we are actually installing more signals and are increasing space for pedestrians by 70 per cent by introducing new diagonal crossings.
Cllr Danny Chalkley
Cabinet Member for City Management

Send your letters to: The Letters Editor, West End Extra, 40 Camden Road, London, NW1 9DR or email to letters@westendextra.co.uk. The deadline for letters is midday Wednesday. The editor regrets that anonymous letters cannot be published, although names and addresses can be withheld.
Please include a full name, postal address and telephone number.
Letters may be edited for reasons of space.

Comment on this article.
(You must supply your full name and email address for your comment to be published)

Name:

Email:

Comment: