London’s Bank Junction Safety Scheme Now Permanent

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14 September 2018

The City of London Corporation’s most senior decision-making body has voted to make the 16-month experimental safety scheme at the Bank junction, permanent.

The Court of Common Council made the final decision after months of rigorous scrutiny and consideration by a range of City Corporation committees. With over 4,200 responses to the consultation, the wide-ranging needs of local road users and other stakeholders were considered along with the operational needs of the Square Mile.

The scheme, first implemented in May 2017 on an experimental basis, restricts vehicle access to Bank junction to buses and cyclists only, Monday to Friday, 7am to 7pm.

Chris Hayward, Chairman of the Planning and Transportation Committee at the City of London Corporation said:

“It has been a pleasure seeing the Bank junction monitoring area become a safer place for members of the public to enjoy.

“Compliance to the scheme is currently at 96%. Additional measures will be explored to further improve the scheme’s performance and reach that end goal of 100% compliance at the junction.

“This would inspire City workers, visitors and residents to truly enjoy the iconic surroundings such as the Bank of England and the Royal Exchange.

“I look forward to applying our learnings from this project and continuing to spearhead positive changes across the Square Mile after the City Corporation unveils it’s 25-year Transport Strategy next year.”

The ‘Bank on Safety’ experimental scheme is part of ‘All Change at Bank’, an improvements programme which describes the City Corporation’s broader aspirations and long-term proposals for Bank junction.

Penny Rees, TfL’s Head of Network Sponsorship, said:

“Reducing road danger at key junctions such as Bank is a vital part of the Mayor’s Vision Zero goal of nobody killed or seriously injured on London’s streets. I’m delighted that the Corporation has taken this bold step towards protecting the most vulnerable road users in the city. We will continue to work closely with the Corporation on a range of measures to reduce road danger, clean up our air and create healthy streets for everyone.”

Fran Graham, Campaigns Coordinator at the London Cycling Campaign commented:

“London Cycling Campaign has long campaigned for action to make Bank junction safer, and gave our support to the Bank on Safety trial from the start. We are delighted that the City of London Corporation has now made the scheme permanent. This bold scheme has proved its worth, changing a hostile and dangerous junction into a space people can enjoy, while walking and cycling far more safely. We look forward to plans to improve the iconic space further, and to see many more such schemes to liberate the City’s streets for everyone.”

Joe Irvin, Chief Executive, Living Streets said:

“The Bank on Safety scheme is an unequivocal success for pedestrians - and the vast majority of people using Bank Junction at peak times are on foot. The safety scheme has clearly made their journeys easier and safer, with 90 per cent of people who walk or cycle supporting the scheme and initial indicators showing reductions in casualties at the junction.

“With a growing population, the future of the City of London depends on a walkable streetscape, avoiding being choked by traffic and cherishing its world-famous heritage. The decision to make the trial permanent is a huge step in the right direction. We support continued improvements, including more time to cross and space for pedestrians, to ensure Bank Junction’s place at the beating heart of the City.”

Picture: Image of London's Bank Junction.

Article written by Robin Snow | Published 14 September 2018

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