A shameless statement, coming from a man who is pushing this vanity project through by 'diktat', over
@CityWestminster and resident's heads.
If successful, Khan will make Oxford street less accessible and more dangerous.
Accessibility. Westminster has already seen a 28.4% reduction in kilometres traveled by bus, between 2015 and 2023. The proposed
#OxfordStreet pedestrianisation risks a further cut to 16 bus routes, that use the street. Furthermore, people with limited mobility won't be able to access the street by bus or a trusted London cab. Instead, they'll have to navigate the 0.7 mile stretch, using their wheelchair or crutches.
Safety. The area around Oxford street has some of the highest crime rates in the country with 2,106 theft, 238 shoplifting & 229 violence incidents recorded, just in January! A pedestrianised street will mean that police officers will have to navigate the last 0.7 miles by foot, decreasing response time. E-bike gangs will also act with even more impunity, safe in the knowledge that police vehicles are no longer a threat.
So before Sadiq Khan berates residents for voicing their opinion, he should remember an old proverb- vox populi, vox dei.