If you thought the City of London was difficult enough to navigate already, feast your eyes on this proposed bombshell...
Aldgate gyratory is to be removed at the cost of £12m.
The scheme will introduce two-way working on Aldgate High Street, St Botolph Street, Minories and a section of Middlesex Street.
The principal aims and objectives of the proposals are:
• To achieve a successful balance between pedestrians and other modes of transport in order to enhance the pedestrian experience.
• To introduce more green elements such as street trees and planting.
• To improve the quality and consistency of surface materials and street furniture to create an enhanced street scene.
• To remove the Aldgate one-way streets and make these two- way, creating a new public space.
• To improve links between transport hubs in the area.
• To smooth traffic flow and reduce journey-time variability and traffic congestion in the City.
Aldgate High St will be ONE lane each way with NO bus lane!
Intensive pre-consultation workshops were carried out with 430 stakeholders before releasing a Public Consultation questionnaire. Many workshops occurred out of usual business hours, especially those involving the residents and church goers. Other workshops, with businesses, local and traffic authorities, and 250 Sir John Cass Primary School took place during the working day.
Each used exactly the same material, some in different ways; for example the businesses grouped together and filled out a workshop document per small group, and at the school many of the young children where provided stickers of illustrations and asked to vote of what they would like to see including using their stickers on a big chart.
A public consultation took place between 6 December 2011 and 24 January 2012 on the Aldgate and Tower Area Strategy. The public consultation was carried out to ensure that the emerging strategy was consistent with the aspirations of the local community.
Overall 88% of the 42 respondents were supportive of the strategy.
This report sets out and analyses the 42 responses received. The comments received fall into four broad categories of:
• congestion and general traffic;
• provision for cyclists;
• pedestrian way finding and permeability; and • public realm.
Many comments referred to what respondents would like to see improved in the area as an outcome of the strategy such as reduced existing levels of traffic congestion on the Transport for London Road Network and making it easier to walk or cycle through the area.
Many other comments were received which supported the proposed illustrated public realm improvements and which encouraged the development and use of public spaces including further greening, biodiversity and opportunities for sport, play and recreational use.
The Consultation finished in 2012
There was also a public meeting on the proposed changes last Tuesday and as far as we know, no one from any Taxi org or trade body attended.
EDITORIAL COMMENT:
Again we see a local authority planning to make changes to a major junction without once giving a thought to the Taxi trade. Locals, motorist groups, cyclists and Transport for London were all consulted but as far as we know, the Taxi trade, the life blood of the City, were not consulted.HAVE YOUR DAY: You've got till the 8th August