Transport
Air Quality It is well understood that air quality in the Oxford Street District is exceptionally poor. The primary source of air pollution is vehicular traffic. Westminster City Council proposes a threefold approach to improving air quality across the district. ••
Improve the street environment to encourage walking and cycling and reduce the need for vehicle trips in the district.
••
Accelerate the adoption of ultra-low and zero emission buses, taxis and private hire vehicles, and commercial vehicles throughout the district leading to an eventual ban on highly polluting vehicles on Oxford Street at an appropriate time.
••
Work with local businesses and stakeholders to minimise, consolidate and manage the movement of freight.
In addition to these strategies, Westminster City Council will also ensure that any detailed proposals that are developed with the aim of restricting or reducing traffic within any part of the district must not result in any adverse, long-term air quality impacts on residential areas. Westminster City Council will continue to monitor air quality at a number of locations throughout the district to ensure that the pollution impact of all proposals and projects in the area are fully understood. Westminster City Council will make this monitoring data freely available to the public and other stakeholders.
It is recognised that the existing vehicle fleet needs to be given a realistic timeframe for change-over to allow removal of higher polluting vehicles from the district without simply forcing them in to adjacent neighbourhoods. Therefore, the proposed study would aim to identify ambitious target dates for when restrictions on polluting vehicles could be brought forward but will only propose these on the basis that public transport, servicing of businesses and residents, and access for all can be provided by available vehicles and that there is no significant impact on surrounding neighbourhoods caused by the displacement of non-compliant vehicles. Careful consideration and consultation on economic issues facing local businesses will be undertaken before proposing restrictions on commercial vehicles. It is likely that the study would initially focus on forms of transport which are already transitioning towards low emission technology and focus on accelerating delivery of change to the Oxford Street District. In particular Westminster City Council will strongly request that introduction of zero emission capable buses on Oxford Street are prioritised by Transport for London and the Mayor. Westminster City Council is currently reviewing its Air Quality Strategy and will be consulting on a draft document in Spring 2019. The findings from the emerging Air Quality Strategy will be applied to the Place Strategy for Oxford Street District.
PLACE STRATEGY
55