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mark occomore
Joined: 07 Dec 2006 Posts: 9955 Location: UK
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Posted: Thu Jul 10, 2008 5:24 pm Post subject: Oxford Circus New Pedestrians Crossing |
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Shoppers in central London may soon be able to cross Oxford Circus diagonally under plans to ease congestion.
The busy intersection would be adapted under a £4m investment plan inspired by Tokyo's Shibuya crossing, where pedestrians cross with ease.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/7498662.stm
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Good idea, but a nightmare in London when the roadworks start. |
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John W
Joined: 07 Dec 2006 Posts: 3367 Location: Warwickshire, UK
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Posted: Thu Jul 10, 2008 6:00 pm Post subject: Re: Oxford Circus New Pedestrians Crossing |
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mark occomore wrote: | Shoppers in central London may soon be able to cross Oxford Circus diagonally under plans to ease congestion. |
Well, well, Mark. London is decades behind other cities in the UK who have had box junctions for 30 years!
John |
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mark occomore
Joined: 07 Dec 2006 Posts: 9955 Location: UK
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Posted: Thu Jul 10, 2008 6:31 pm Post subject: |
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John,
I guess the future plans will be to move the buses away from Oxford street? Just a theory!! |
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John W
Joined: 07 Dec 2006 Posts: 3367 Location: Warwickshire, UK
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Posted: Fri Jul 11, 2008 9:59 am Post subject: |
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mark occomore wrote: | John,
I guess the future plans will be to move the buses away from Oxford street? Just a theory!! |
Again, London is decades behind. The Coventry shopping precinct was the first traffic-free shopping area in Europe, built in 1948-52.
Recently, though, I've noticed they sometimes let disabled drivers park in Smithford Way Still haven't figured how their cars GET there; off the market area I guess. |
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RockitRon
Joined: 07 Dec 2006 Posts: 7646
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Posted: Fri Jul 11, 2008 10:38 am Post subject: |
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Tokyo's Shibuya is interesting - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QXtOdSgf6Ic&NR=1 amongst other examples. The traffic is halted for 40-50 seconds (green lights at traffic lights here last ten if you're lucky) and this appears to be only just long enough for people to cross, as the last few mingle with the restarted traffic, which is presumably also given longer time.
The system must rely upon there being sufficient space to hold back the waiting army of ants. Unless they plan to demolish some of the buildings (including the tube station!) around Oxford Circus I'm not sure how they're going to manage it. It would certainly be better than the lottery of using the Underground subway to cross, though - working out which exit comes out where is a nightmare. _________________ Ron |
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Mark Mayhew
Joined: 11 Dec 2006 Posts: 2897
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Posted: Fri Jul 11, 2008 8:51 pm Post subject: |
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London has lots of pedestrian only areas so it is factually incorrect to say we are decades behind. |
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John W
Joined: 07 Dec 2006 Posts: 3367 Location: Warwickshire, UK
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Posted: Fri Jul 11, 2008 10:03 pm Post subject: |
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Mark Mayhew wrote: | London has lots of pedestrian only areas so it is factually incorrect to say we are decades behind. |
I was implying they were decades behind with regard to their most popular shopping area.
Brent Cross was built in 1976, decades behind, though I accept that it was the first 'enclosed' shopping mall in UK. The Coventry one is only partly enclosed, and that was only recently ! |
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RockitRon
Joined: 07 Dec 2006 Posts: 7646
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Posted: Sun Jul 13, 2008 6:41 am Post subject: |
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Nottingham's Victoria Centre opened in 1973; it's certainly enclosed. I don't think it was the first, either - probably Birmingham's Bull Ring Centre (the first one) in the 60s.
No matter.
It would be impossible to do that for London's Oxford Street or, indeed to ban all traffic - I think only buses, taxis and cycles are allowed now - as some people need a little help to get from one end (Marble Arch) to the other (Tottenham Court Raod) without burrowing underground.
Thinking further about it, a much better candidate for the Shibuya Crossing treatment, at least on a visual and logistical headache scale, would be Piccadilly Circus _________________ Ron |
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