Car Free Care Free Oxford Street
Although the number of buses along Oxford Street has been reduced over the years ...
... there were still buses nose to tail at busy times.
Until recently, there were plenty of taxis and a few private cars willing to pay the congestion charge.
So, said Lord Khan, make a hearty chunk of this road traffic free (nearly, see below) and send buses round the back.
Westminster Council didn't want it. The shop keepers didn't want it. The bus companies didn't want it! So, in true democratic style (!) it happened just over a week ago.
Wigmore Street, the parallel route fot all diverted buses, certainly did not want it!
Artists' impressions suggest Oxford Street will look lovely when it is all beautifully landscaped ...
... but all we have at the moment is a picture of His Lordness proudly repelling anything on four wheels with an engine!
Oddly, in the first few days, most pedestrians stayed on the pavements.
In the picture above, those walking 'in the road' were mainly avoiding the narrow pavement blocked by barriers shielding some building refurbishment work!
Vehicles can access most of the closed bit ...
... but only between midnight and 0700 via a complex series of back street access routes. That will be fun if the driver is not too sure where to deliver OR if he has multiple deliveries along the Street.
It will also be a challenge finding your bus stop!
It will also increase delivery costs and imply a need for extra staff to receive their goodies at 'unsociable' hours. So yet another poke on the consumer nose on behalf of the cost of living crisis.
But the ever resilient resident will get used to it. Visitors from UK and overseas often have no idea where they are, where they have come from and where they might be going next! So they will notice no change at all.
The environmentalists will be thrilled whilst they wander on Oxford Street, but infuriated with Wigmore Street.
Many casual shoppers will give up and 'enjoy' East Westfield or West Westfield! At least once you have got there, the 'mall' is traffic free, packed to the rafters with escapees from Oxford Street, but traffic free.
Cheers!
Grid Groans : What's Going On!
Some will remember the 3 day week of the 1970s ...
... homework by candle light ...
... office work by Camping Gaz?
But nowadays ...
The press keeps reporting worrying snippets about the UK's lack of resilient power supplies. This may affect our homes, our electrified railways, our electric buses, our electric cars , our industries and, most significantly, our Christmas lights.
Is there something "They" are not telling us?
It could be much, much worse!
Never mind, Wes has all the answers ...
... buy a wind-up torch and stock up with cans. Wes has issued an encouraging picture of his own store cupboard at home.
But beware! Make sure you don't just have one of these!
The Government points out that there are low-low-tech alternatives for breaking into your can of beanz.
But ...
Is there something "They" are not telling us?
Tomorrow: a telephone, a centroid, a bus and a hill walk?
Next Balancing Britain blog : Wed 4 Nov
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