A radical redesign of one of the busiest junctions in central London has been unveiled in a bid to transform the traffic-choked Strand.
Businesses, Transport for London and Westminster council want to replace the Aldwych gyratory with two-way roads and create new spaces for pedestrians and cyclists.
The aim is to improve the 51-hectare area known as the Northbank that stretches from the Royal Courts of Justice to Trafalgar Square, and link with new developments such as the cycle superhighway on Victoria Embankment and the Thames Garden Bridge.
Ruth Duston, chief executive of the Northbank Business Improvement District, said that despite its landmarks, the area had been let down for too long by the poor state of its “public realm”.
“Pedestrians are poorly served, vehicles dominate and public spaces have been forgotten. Businesses understand that high quality public realm is vital for an area to thrive — it matters to employees and to customers, so therefore it matters to the ‘bottom line’.”
The plans were drawn up by urban design consultancy Publica and unveiled to business leaders yesterday.
The Strand has long been a bottleneck for traffic heading between the City and West End. Business leaders want to target pollution and improve air quality.
Preferred ideas involve creating a pedestrianised space around St Mary le Strand church and Somerset House, and building a “riverside promenade” and “cycle hub” under Waterloo bridge.
Aldwych gyratory would be reconfigured to give pedestrians priority and the forecourt of Charing Cross would be decluttered. The BID has secured more than £8 million from businesses to kickstart the changes.
