London TravelWatch, the watchdog for transport users in and around London, has raised concerns that the need for buses in central London has been understated in the London Assembly’s report Streets Ahead: Reviewing congestion on Oxford Street, Regent Street and Bond Street.

Sharon Grant, Chair, London TravelWatch said: “We are concerned about proposals to remove buses from Oxford Street, seemingly arbitrarily, as they are efficient users of road space, and without other traffic management measures the road space will simply be filled by other traffic.”

London TravelWatch submitted written and oral evidence to the Committee, and highlighted the importance of buses to central London.

Sharon Grant continued: “We could improve efficiency of road space in this area by prioritising pedestrians and closing off more of the north and south side roads crossing Oxford Street, reducing the number of buses terminating in Oxford Street, and by restricting taxis. According to TfL, taxis take up 37% of the road space, but only carry 1% of the passengers. Oxford Street is busy because that is where people want to go.”

For media enquiries, please contact the London TravelWatch press office on 020 7726 9953 or 07734 055494.

The voice of London's transport users
4 February 2010