by Stephanie Connell | May 2, 2025 | Consultations, Our Neighbourhood, Oxford Street, Planning, Public Space
REMINDER – YOU HAVE UNTIL MIDNIGHT TOMORROW – 2ND MAY – TO RESPOND TO THE MAYOR’S CONSULTATION
Dear Members
We want to let you know about Fitzwest’s response to the Mayor’s plans to pedestrianise Oxford Street.
Pedestrianisation:
We can not say if it is a good idea or not without seeing detailed plans, as we have identified some issues that need addressing:
- Congestion
- potential for 70 buses per hour both ways down Wigmore/Mortimer Street
- Goodge St/Tottenham Court Road junction – will buses be able to turn left and right out of and into Goodge St?
- taxis and ubers. Where will they pick up and drop off fares? Will it be the end of streets like Wells, Newman, Rathbone, Berners Streets?
- Increased air pollution
- Access to business and homes,
- Access to Oxford Street shops,
- Access to night buses for the many users in our area,
- Access for loading for the businesses on Oxford Street
- Crime and safety during the day and night
- Pedestrian crossing safety.
The Mayoral Development Corporation:
- We disagree with the anti democratic use of the MDC to enable this scheme which will be an expensive quango
- The MDC will have total jurisdiction over all planning decisions – routine and major.
- We think that Westminster Council can do the job more effectively
- We are concerned and puzzled by the large size of the MDC which increases the potential for undemocratic planning decisions in areas around Oxford Street as well as Oxford Street itself.
- The Fitzwest Forum and all its business and resident members worked very hard over a number of years to create the Neighbourhood Plan. This was voted in a referendum of businesses and residents and the MDC will be able to ignore it. We feel Westminster Council is better positioned to make decisions on planning matters including enforcement.
- It will also reduce the amount of CIL money available for local projects designed to enhance the quality of life in Fitzrovia
You only have until midnight tomorrow – Friday 2nd May – to respond to the consultation which is on the TFL website. Here is the link
https://haveyoursay.tfl.gov.uk/oxford-street
by FitzWest admin | Aug 9, 2024 | Consultations, Cycling, Our Neighbourhood, Oxford Street, Safety
Great Titchfield Street/Foley Street and Rathbone Place/Rathbone Street traffic consultation
Note: consultation closes on August 13th 2024
Residents and businesses in Fitzrovia West are invited to comment on proposed changes to traffic flows at the junction of Great Titchfield Street and Foley Street, and at Rathbone Place and Rathbone Street. Further details are available and comments can be submitted online at:
https://oxfordstreetprogramme.commonplace.is/
We support the council’s plans to bring in motor vehicle restrictions along part of Great Titchfield Street. The planned changes on Oxford Street would otherwise lead to a lot of extra cars, vans and lorries using Great Titchfield Street as a direct route and inevitably increase all kinds of traffic. You can have your say and read more about it here:
https://oxfordstreetprogramme.commonplace.is/en-GB/proposals/great-titchfield-street-consultation/step1
The public consultation closes on August 13th 2024.
After Dark Survey
Westminster Council have produced an online questionnaire that seeks to gather additional views and insights from residents on their evening and night-time experiences below:
After Dark Survey
The closing date for the online questionnaire is 15th September 2024.
In addition to the questionnaire residents can send any views, comments, data of evidence they wish to share with Westminster Council to aid the development of the Westminster After Dark Strategy via email to westminsterafterdark@westminster.gov.uk<mailto:westminsterafterdark@westminster.gov.uk> by the 15th September 2024.
Marylebone to West-End Cycleway Route Alignment consultation
Westminster Council have launched their Marylebone to West-End Cycleway Route Alignment consultation, and it closes on 30th September 2024.
Visit the consultation webpage<https://westminster.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=a50c8b0dd980669ef713b4cca&id=e0c1d663f7&e=07fba93fa4> providing information about the proposed scheme and includes an online survey form for you to leave your comments.
Alternatively, you can email any questions or comments to the mailbox below:
cycleroutes@westminster.gov.uk
by FitzWest admin | Jul 4, 2024 | AGM, CIL, Consultations, Environment, Greening, Our Neighbourhood
Thank you to everyone who attended our very successful AGM last Wednesday 26th June at the Sainsbury Wellcome Centre on Howland Street – we appreciated you choosing to spend a gloriously hot evening with us rather than in the park! You can
read the full minutes of the meeting here.
As well as all the usual business of the AGM, we had several interesting presentations. These included an update from Jordan Scammell from the Soho Poly Theatre about their development plans and how the CIL funding has been spent.
You can have a look at the presentation here.
Lee Lyons from The Fitzrovia Partnership and Lucy Mitchell from the New West End Company discussed how they are dealing with issues of crime and anti-social behaviour in Fitzrovia. Councillor Patrick Lilley also shared some of the complex challenges the police are facing and how they are working to deal with it. Greening and outdoor space is always a very popular issue for our members and Mark Gazaleh told us about tree planting and plans for future greening in the area. You can look at this presentation here.
Consultation – chance to have your say
The Fitzrovia Partnership is co-designing a sustainability strategy and action plan for the area and has been engaging the community on its environmental, social and economic priorities to make Fitzrovia a better place to live, work and visit for all.
There was an exhibition and consultation about this at the AGM and residents and businesses gave their opinions. Join The Fitzrovia Partnership for its final sustainability strategy co-creation session on 10th July ay 12.30.
This session will include a wrap-up of insights gained during the recent sustainability drop-in sessions and survey, including feedback from local residents and businesses on how they would like to see better social and environmental value delivered in the area. The session will also provide an opportunity to provide final feedback on our Sustainability Strategy and Action Plan.
by FitzWest admin | Sep 20, 2023 | CIL, Consultations, Cycling, Public Space
There is lots happening in Fitzrovia and opportunities for you to have your say on various consultations.
New Traffic Order – changes to traffic direction in Fitzrovia
WCC are seeking comments on a new traffic order. Towards the end, there are detailed plans about proposed changes to Wigmore/Mortimer St and the junctions with Great Portland St and Great Titchfield Street.
Otherwise, there is provision for new loading bays on Mortimer St, reducing the pavement width. Overall, there will be 4 fewer residents parking spaces and four fewer bus stands (in Cavendish Place). There seems to be only one reference to cycle parking – at the western end of Wigmore St.
We have asked for projected figures for traffic movements after implementation on and around Wigmore/Mortimer St and are waiting to hear about that.
Observations and comments on the proposals should be submitted by 4th October 2023 to TrafficOrders@projectcentre.co.uk quoting the reference PCL/9333/AJ in your response.
Proposals for new docking locations for hired bikes
WCC are proposing new docks for all hired bikes in Wells, Newman, Ogle and Bolsover Streets rather than just being left on the pavements.
CIL Newsletter
Westminster Council are producing a regular newsletter with information and updates on how to make CIL applications.
The next submission date for CIL applications is October 2nd.
by FitzWest admin | May 30, 2023 | AGM, CIL, Consultations, Our Neighbourhood, Oxford Street
First of all, a big thank you to over 40 local residents and businesses and all the West End Ward councillors (Cllrs Toale, Fisher and Lilley) who attended our AGM on 18th May at the Sainsbury Wellcome Centre on Howland Street. The high tech facilities meant we were also able to have people attend virtually.
As well as the usual AGM business, Cllr. Geoff Barraclough and some of the Westminster Council Oxford Street team presented initial plans to change the traffic flow at Oxford Circus. There were plenty of questions and comments and an undertaking by the Council that this would be fully consulted on before implementation. There was particular concern about suggestions of changes to traffic flow on Great Titchfield Street and the potential for increased traffic.
Our local police officer from the Safer Neighbourhood teams then gave a presentation about crime and anti social behaviour. This also generated lots of questions and gave residents a chance to chat afterwards.
Finally, there were some updates on projects that have received CIL funding. Donna Yay from Fitzrovia Community Centre explained how the works to improve the accessibility and floor covering would not have otherwise been possible. Gwilym Harbottle told us that the New Cavendish Planters will be installed this summer – and asked for volunteers to be on the planters committee – so if anyone is interested please get in touch with Gwilym at info@fitzwest.org
The AGM minutes are available here.
by FitzWest admin | Oct 26, 2022 | Consultations, Environment, Rubbish, Uncategorized, Waste
Rubbish dumping and problems with waste are big problems for us all in Fitzrovia – and are certainly issues that come up with regularity at all of our meetings.
So we are pleased to share with you some of the steps that are being taken by Westminster Council to deal with this issue.
Here is a communication from Rob McCrae, the Senior City Inspector at Westminster Council about what is happening this week:
I would like to update you on the upcoming plans for a Waste Action Squad to tackle the challenge of dumped waste and littering. The Waste Action Squad will be a multi-agency team working with the community to identify effective solutions to address dumping hotspots through a trial programme, across Westminster.
This will start on Monday 24th October 2022 with a week of action focused on hotspots within the Fitzrovia ward area.
The key objectives for the team are:
· To provide a highly visible operation that shows this is an area of focus and that we are acting against persistent problems.
· To engage residents in a meaningful conversation about waste problems in their neighbourhood. To gather insight into how these could be tackled together and educate on the best ways of disposing of their waste to keep their streets clean and tidy.
· To create an action plan following the engagement to tackle these issues.
Below is a timeline for the week of engagement, the Waste Action Squad will be available at various different times on different days throughout the week, from 11am through to 9pm around the area providing education and enforcement on street and engaging with our residents and businesses.
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Day & Time
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Area
|
|
Monday
PM:
14:00 – 16:00
Nightime:
19:00 – 21:00
|
AM: James Street j/w Oxford Street
Gazebo
PM: Bird Street/Barratt Street
|
|
Tuesday
PM:
11:00 – 13:00
Nightime:
15:30 – 17:30
|
AM: Great Portland Street Gazebo
PM: Great Titchfield Street
|
|
Wednesday
AM:
10:00 – 12:00
PM:
15:00- 17:00
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AM: Wells Street
PM: Market Place (South) Gazebo
|
|
Thursday
AM:
12:00 – 14:00
PM:
16:00 – 18:00
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AM: Langham Street
PM: Foley Street
|
|
Friday
AM:
12:00 – 14:00
PM:
16:00 – 18:00
|
AM: Hanson Street
PM: New Cavendish Street
|
