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.