| Topic: | Re:Re:Re:Reply | |
| Posted by: | Paul Campbell | |
| Date/Time: | 17/06/21 15:30:00 |
| I work there Justin in one of the most prominent buildings and I know Councillors in the City of London Corporation. There is a long-term plan to remove traffic from the City and the politicans and businesses are very supportive. They are supporting the pedestrianisation of Bank despite very aggressive opposition from the cabbies, the proliferation of new cycle lanes and one way streets on Threadneedle etc and much more. The Bishopsgate scheme has got the headlines because it is a TfL road but it is just a small part of the reallocation of space to walking and cycling that the Corporation has implemented. And Bishopsgate is much more focused on walking with pavement build-outs than it is on cycling for which there is no special provision. People in Chiswick complaining about the cycle lane would be shocked by what has happened in the last 15 months in the City. The Corporation and the leaders of businesses are switched on and very progressive. You know why it is happening? The City of London Corporation has done the numbers and consulted with the businesses and the vast majority of workers arrive by train and tube and then on foot, numbers arriving by bike are increasing dramatically and most businesses in flagship buildings are under pressure from their workforces to expand cycle storage and shower facilities to satisfy the increased demand which the pandemic has accelerated. My company is working on plans to radically expand cycling facilities due to survey feedback from the workforce. The vast majority of people then move about within the City during the day between offices for meetings on foot. The City of London Corporation knows that too much space has been given to cars passing through and their projections show that they need much more space on the streets for people on foot, especially when Crossrail arrives. Developers of new office buildings have had to include closure of streets and replacement of them with piazzas and cycle lanes in their plans in order to receive approval. Times change and your interpretation of what is happening and the outcomes is very dated I am sorry to say. The City is a far more pleasant place than it was 20 years ago and it is getting better with every new people-focused development. |