City of London To Ban Cars From The Busiest Roads As Lockdown Eases

It’s been alleged by the Financial Times, that the City of London Corporation, plans to ban cars on the busiest roads to help manage the expected return of tens of thousands of commuters to the streets of the British capital’s financial district as the coronavirus lockdown is eased.

In spite of the fact that the Square Mile’s medieval thoroughfares are too narrow to maintain safe social distancing, according to the City of London Corporation, the local authority for the Square Mile, they are intent on pushing city workers to travel in unsafe conditions of packed tube trains and buses. 

The Corporation has drawn up proposals for 12- or 24-hour closures for cars, Taxis and minicabs on its main artery routes to widen pavements for walking, create bike lanes and allow safe queueing for shops and cafés. 

Are they expecting City workers to travel safely to the City gates and then make the rest of their journey to work in foot?

The Corporation expects many workers to begin returning to offices in the financial district after the UK government this week encouraged companies to start resuming normal operations, albeit with instructions that those that can work from home should continue to do so. 

             

       From the horse’s mouth 

Many feel that the CoL are taking advantage of the crisis to push forward their war against Cars, Taxis and Minicabs. 

One of the biggest challenges for the Corporation will be dealing with rush hour commuters into the City as lockdown restrictions are eased. 

It is worried that workers will drive to their offices or turn up in Licensed Black Cabs,the safest form of transport under present circumstances.

Documents which go before the Corporation’s planning committee on Thursday for approval, say: “Many of the Square Mile’s streets, pavements are too narrow to maintain safe social distancing, even if only a small proportion of the City’s workforce initially returns to work. 

In some streets it is likely that existing arrangements will be a danger to the public.”

So why are they pushing workers towards the dangerous packed tubes and buses 

The first phase covers Cannon Street, Cheapside and Poultry, Old Jewry and Coleman Street, Lombard Street, Leadenhall Street and St Mary Axe, Threadneedle Street and Old Broad Street.

Catherine McGuinness, policy chief for the Corporation of London, said this was a “pivotal moment” in dealing with the pandemic. “Getting to the workplace safely is going to be key.”

They make it clear that if the plans work, the Corporation will consider making road closures ‘PERMANENT’ to support its longer term goals of reducing vehicle traffic to improve air quality.

Ms McGuinness said this would be a “first step in a radical strategy” that will see the City move away from private car use. “Coronavirus has given us an extra impetus.”

The plans say that “in order to maintain social distancing and manage travel demand, there will be a medium-term need/desire to limit the number of people working in offices on any given day”. 

“Even a small increase in the number of people using cars, taxis and private hire vehicles to commute is likely to lead to an unacceptable level of congestion on central London’s street network,” the plans add.

TAXI LEAKS EXTRA BIT:

It appears that the City of London Corporation is pushing it’s city works, to travel dangerously (in complete disregard of social distancing) on packed Tubes and Buses. 

There has been no regard for disabled city workers unable to  ride a bike or walk, with many of the City Tube stations no having facilities for disabled passengers.