The roads around Holborn station, among the deadliest in London for cyclists, are to be transformed in a bid to improve safety.
A £12.5m scheme that will include the removal of the Holborn gyratory and the pedestrianisation of part of New Oxford Street and a street in front of the British Museum was announced by City Hall today.
The project is one of 11 “livable neighbourhood” schemes to share in £53.4 million from Mayor Sadiq Khan to reduce car use and improve air quality and the environment.
Six cyclists have been killed near Holborn in the last decade, including the Queen’s homeopath Dr Peter Fisher last year and Alan Neve, whose death in 2013 sparked the first of many mass demonstrations calling for improved road safety.
In the last three years, the area, dominated by fast-moving multi-lane thoroughfares, has seen 32 pedestrians and cyclists killed or seriously injured.
Protected cycle lanes will be built in High Holborn and Theobalds Road. Sections of New Oxford Street and Great Russell Street, beside the British Museum, will be closed to traffic.
A section of Bloomsbury Way, like much of Tottenham Court Road, will become bus and bike only. Work is likely to start in January 2021.
Other projects include £15.5m for the eastern part of the Square Mile to reduce through traffic and create a zero emission zome.
A total of £17.3m is being provided for Croydon old town, reducing speeds on the flyover and creating extra space for cycling.
There are also schemes in Bromley, Brixton, Ilford, Bow, Enfield,Newham, Bermondsey and Chiswick. A total of £86m has now been awarded by the Mayor for such projects since 2016.
Mr Khan said: “For too long streets around London have been designed solely around cars and motor traffic.”
Fran Graham, of London Cycling Campaign, said the “bold proposals” were “great news”.
