Scrapping plans for car-free Oxford Street is a "betrayal of Londoners" says city mayor
London mayor Sadiq Khan has denounced Westminster Council for blocking a proposal to pedestrianise Oxford Street.
The local council has ruled out the possibility of transforming the major shopping thoroughfare into a traffic-free zone, citing a lack of community support.
Khan, who pledged to deliver the project when he ran for office, has branded the decision as "a real threat to the future of Oxford Street".
"This will be seen as a betrayal of the millions of Londoners and visitors to our city who would have benefited from making Oxford Street a safer, healthier and better environment," he said.
Westminster Council refutes claims of betrayal
Plans to transform the retail-destination road into a pedestrian zone filled with art were announced last year, with traffic restrictions due to be enforced by the end of 2018. The plans involved bringing roads up to pavement level, for better wheelchair accessibility, and re-routing buses, to cut down emissions on what is one of the most polluted roads in Europe.
Visualisations released last year showed Oxford Street covered in colourful plazas
The council has defended its decision to withdraw support for the plan. Council leader Nickie Aiken said she could only support a proposal if "everyone can benefit from improvements, not just certain groups".
"I utterly reject any suggestion that there is any kind of betrayal," responded Aiken. "Quite the contrary, we are sticking up for the pe...
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