Pedestrianisation Of Oxford Street This Weekend
 

Details of associated bus diversion are on the TfL website.

http://www.tfl.gov.uk/tfl/livetravel...nt=1081997_TfL

Is anyone else a little p****d off at this? Whilst trying to attract
more people to Oxford Street and Regent Street, they are diverting the
buses away, thus making it more difficult to get there, and
conseuqently making the tube more overcrowded than it already is.

I am just wondering whether the benefits of making Oxford Street car
free outweigh the disadvantages

Pedestrianisation Of Oxford Street This Weekend
 

"Paul" wrote:

Details of associated bus diversion are on the TfL website.

http://www.tfl.gov.uk/tfl/livetravel...nt=1081997_TfL

Is anyone else a little p****d off at this? Whilst trying to attract
more people to Oxford Street and Regent Street, they are diverting the
buses away, thus making it more difficult to get there, and
conseuqently making the tube more overcrowded than it already is.

I am just wondering whether the benefits of making Oxford Street car
free outweigh the disadvantages

FWIW this pre-Xmas car-free day [1] has been happening for several years. At
least all the Tube lines serving the West End will be operation on Saturday
(the Bakerloo closure between Queen's Park and E&C is on Sunday).

Generally speaking I can't get very worked up about it happening on just one
day a year, though I guess I hadn't entirely put two and two together to
connect this annual exercise to the wider push by Oxford Street traders to
reduce the number of buses going down 'their' street.

And looking at it from a wider perspective, I'd think the only way it's at
all remotely feasible to even begin contemplate pedestrianising Oxford
Street on a permanent basis would be if there was a tram that passed down
its length (or, I suppose, a - shock horror - uber frequent bendy bus type
shuttle arrangement, could even be a trolley bus). The knock-on consequences
of banishing all buses from Oxford Street would be immense though.

-----
[1] The West End VIP (Very Important Pedestrians) Day.

Pedestrianisation Of Oxford Street This Weekend
 

On 24 Nov, 15:30, Paul wrote:
Details of associated bus diversion are on the TfL website.

http://www.tfl.gov.uk/tfl/livetravel...mation.asp?inc...

Is anyone else a little p****d off at this? *Whilst trying to attract
more people to Oxford Street and Regent Street, they are diverting the
buses away, thus making it more difficult to get there, and
conseuqently making the tube more overcrowded than it already is.

I am just wondering whether the benefits of making Oxford Street car
free outweigh the disadvantages

A bit of a catch 22 really, buses would only spend ages stuck in
gridlock with passengers geting off and walking.

Pedestrianisation Of Oxford Street This Weekend
 

On Wed, 24 Nov 2010 07:30:24 -0800 (PST), Paul
wrote:

Details of associated bus diversion are on the TfL website.

http://www.tfl.gov.uk/tfl/livetravel...nt=1081997_TfL

Is anyone else a little p****d off at this? Whilst trying to attract
more people to Oxford Street and Regent Street, they are diverting the
buses away, thus making it more difficult to get there, and
conseuqently making the tube more overcrowded than it already is.

I am just wondering whether the benefits of making Oxford Street car
free outweigh the disadvantages

Do you not have feet?

JonH

Pedestrianisation Of Oxford Street This Weekend
 

On Wed, 24 Nov 2010, Mizter T wrote:

And looking at it from a wider perspective, I'd think the only way it's
at all remotely feasible to even begin contemplate pedestrianising
Oxford Street on a permanent basis would be if there was a tram that
passed down its length (or, I suppose, a - shock horror - uber frequent
bendy bus type shuttle arrangement, could even be a trolley bus).

Even that would be tricky - any vehicles going down the road will diminish
its availability to pedestrians. Even pushbikes.

What we need is some sort of aerial contraption that moves people around
at a separated, higher, grade - an elevated railway, a monorail, a
cablecar, spare T5 pod-u-likes, something like that.

The knock-on consequences of banishing all buses from Oxford Street
would be immense though.

I haven't heard of a serious analysis of how much of that traffic could be
diverted along the A5204, with and without improving works on it and so
on.

tom

--
I think it would be a good idea -- Mohandas Gandhi, on Western
civilisation

Pedestrianisation Of Oxford Street This Weekend
 

On Nov 24, 6:13*pm, Paul Corfield wrote:
On Wed, 24 Nov 2010 15:59:16 -0000, "Mizter T"
wrote:

Generally speaking I can't get very worked up about it happening on just one
day a year, though I guess I hadn't entirely put two and two together to
connect this annual exercise to the wider push by Oxford Street traders to
reduce the number of buses going down 'their' street.

And looking at it from a wider perspective, I'd think the only way it's at
all remotely feasible to even begin contemplate pedestrianising Oxford
Street on a permanent basis would be if there was a tram that passed down
its length (or, I suppose, a - shock horror - uber frequent bendy bus type
shuttle arrangement, could even be a trolley bus). The knock-on consequences
of banishing all buses from Oxford Street would be immense though.

You might therefore like to read this correspondence

http://www.london.gov.uk/moderngov/m...DF.aspx?ID=752

and then this reply.

http://www.london.gov.uk/moderngov/m...F.aspx?ID=1192

Looks like the proponents of this (IMO) daft idea are not going to give
up pushing their particular agenda.
--
Paul C

Would this argument be happening if Oxford Street happened to have a
roof over it?

Then it would be a shopping centre, and buses wouldn't be expected
inside.

I don't really understand why it's that much of an issue whether buses
go past the front door or back door of the shops. If the changes
involved a quicker route to some kind of bus station it might actually
improve access.

Bus travel is not significantly quicker than walking between Tottenham
Court Road and Bond Street with the current arrangement. If one
arrives on a 25 from the east, say, it generally makes sense to get
off in New Oxford Street and do the rest on foot. That won't really
change.

Pedestrianisation Of Oxford Street This Weekend
 

On Nov 24, 6:13*pm, Paul Corfield wrote:
On Wed, 24 Nov 2010 15:59:16 -0000, "Mizter T"
wrote:

Generally speaking I can't get very worked up about it happening on just one
day a year, though I guess I hadn't entirely put two and two together to
connect this annual exercise to the wider push by Oxford Street traders to
reduce the number of buses going down 'their' street.

And looking at it from a wider perspective, I'd think the only way it's at
all remotely feasible to even begin contemplate pedestrianising Oxford
Street on a permanent basis would be if there was a tram that passed down
its length (or, I suppose, a - shock horror - uber frequent bendy bus type
shuttle arrangement, could even be a trolley bus). The knock-on consequences
of banishing all buses from Oxford Street would be immense though.

You might therefore like to read this correspondence

http://www.london.gov.uk/moderngov/m...DF.aspx?ID=752

and then this reply.

http://www.london.gov.uk/moderngov/m...F.aspx?ID=1192

Looks like the proponents of this (IMO) daft idea are not going to give
up pushing their particular agenda.
--
Paul C

The letter does make the point of making provision for those who are
disabled and with impaired mobility. Whilst making Oxford Street
traffic free may attract some people, it is also going to put off
other people. one of the attractions of having buses along Oxford
Street is that you can come out of Selfridges or M&S with bags of
heavy shopping and get straight on a bus to take you home. If you
have heavy or bulky shopping, it is not much fun trying to make your
way through the crowds to Oxford Circus tube, and then trying to push
your way on to a crowded train. Curtailing and diverting buses just
pushes the crowds elsewhere. (eg. With the C2 being suspended between
Portland Place and Victoria, anyone wanting to get from Victoria to
Camden Town is going to have to try the 24, or find a way on the
tube.)

Whilst you could stop some bus services short of Oxford Street and
provide a Red Arrow style shuttle service (using some of the redundant
bendys?) this may also entail the loss of through journeys. (eg.
curtailing the 73 at Tottenham Court Road or Euston would mean the
loss of a through service from Kings Cross to Victoria)

It will be interesting to see how the tube is affected this weekend,
and whether any stations are closed for overcrowding.

Pedestrianisation Of Oxford Street This Weekend
 

On Nov 25, 8:09*am, Paul wrote:
On Nov 24, 6:13*pm, Paul Corfield wrote:





On Wed, 24 Nov 2010 15:59:16 -0000, "Mizter T"
wrote:

Generally speaking I can't get very worked up about it happening on just one
day a year, though I guess I hadn't entirely put two and two together to
connect this annual exercise to the wider push by Oxford Street traders to
reduce the number of buses going down 'their' street.

And looking at it from a wider perspective, I'd think the only way it's at
all remotely feasible to even begin contemplate pedestrianising Oxford
Street on a permanent basis would be if there was a tram that passed down
its length (or, I suppose, a - shock horror - uber frequent bendy bus type
shuttle arrangement, could even be a trolley bus). The knock-on consequences
of banishing all buses from Oxford Street would be immense though.

You might therefore like to read this correspondence

http://www.london.gov.uk/moderngov/m...DF.aspx?ID=752

and then this reply.

http://www.london.gov.uk/moderngov/m...F.aspx?ID=1192

Looks like the proponents of this (IMO) daft idea are not going to give
up pushing their particular agenda.
--
Paul C

The letter does make the point of making provision for those who are
disabled and with impaired mobility. Whilst making Oxford Street
traffic free may attract some people, it is also going to put off
other people. one of the attractions of having buses along Oxford
Street is that you can come out of Selfridges or M&S with bags of
heavy shopping and get straight on a bus to take you home. *If you
have heavy or bulky shopping, it is not much fun trying to make your
way through the crowds to Oxford Circus tube, and then trying to push
your way on to a crowded train. Curtailing and diverting buses just
pushes the crowds elsewhere. (eg. With the C2 being suspended between
Portland Place and Victoria, anyone wanting to get from Victoria to
Camden Town is going to have to try the 24, or find a way on the
tube.)

Whilst you could stop some bus services short of Oxford Street and
provide a Red Arrow style shuttle service (using some of the redundant
bendys?) this may also entail the loss of through journeys. *(eg.
curtailing the 73 at Tottenham Court Road or Euston would mean the
loss of a through service from Kings Cross to Victoria)

*It will be interesting to see how the tube is affected this weekend,
and whether any stations are closed for overcrowding.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

PS. Perhaps the situation will only improve when Crossrail starts
running. This will provide crucial extra capacity.

Pedestrianisation Of Oxford Street This Weekend
 

Tom Anderson wrote in
rth.li:

What we need is some sort of aerial contraption that moves people
around at a separated, higher, grade - an elevated railway, a
monorail, a cablecar, spare T5 pod-u-likes, something like that.

Or what about a lower level? You could have some sort of subterranean
contraption with stops at, say, Marble Arch, Bond Street, Oxford Circus and
Tottenham Court Road.

Peter

--
| Peter Campbell Smith | Epsom | UK |

Pedestrianisation Of Oxford Street This Weekend
 

Peter Campbell Smith wrote:
Tom Anderson wrote in
arth.li:

What we need is some sort of aerial contraption that moves people
around at a separated, higher, grade - an elevated railway, a
monorail, a cablecar, spare T5 pod-u-likes, something like that.

Or what about a lower level? You could have some sort of subterranean
contraption with stops at, say, Marble Arch, Bond Street, Oxford Circus and
Tottenham Court Road.


That's a very good idea, but the very high cost of a tunnelled
solution in these straitened times would make people angry.

I suppose we could call it "Cross Rail"?