The Mayor’s decision to abandon the redevelopment of Parliament Square came under criticism from the London Assembly today.
Assembly Members agreed a motion expressing serious concern about thedecision and called on the Mayor to reconsider. The redevelopment of Parliament Square would have improved pedestrian safety and access to Parliament Square.
The motion also called for works to the Stoke Newington gyratory and Elephant and Castle’s southern roundabout to go ahead.
Proposing the motion, Jenny Jones AM, told the Assembly: "The Mayor has wasted the opportunity to develop a public space that would have allowed everyone to enjoy Parliament Square and its beautiful buildings to the full. And this decision is just the start. The Mayor has also cast doubt over the future of schemes to significantly improve the areas surrounding Stoke Newington and Elephant and Castle gyratories. If London is to become a truly sustainable and healthy city the planning errors of past decades must be corrected and replaced with spaces that encourage people to walk and cycle, rather than give priority to cars. We urge the Mayor to reconsider his decision."
Caroline Pidgeon AM, who seconded the motion, said: "Parliament square is effectively a traffic island which is difficult and unsafe to get around. When Trafalgar Square was redeveloped with the pedestrian in mind, it was transformed. We now need a sensible way forward for Parliament Square. In addition, the Elephant and Castle southern roundabout urgently needs redesigning so that pedestrians can have a safer and more direct route around the area – and I do hope the Mayor will give his support to its redevelopment. Given the economic
climate, we need to make London a more comfortable and attractive place to encourage people to visit and work here."
The full text of the motion is as follows:
"This Assembly expresses serious concern about the Mayor’s decision to abandon existing plans to redress the balance between traffic and pedestrians in Parliament Square. This scheme sought to improvesecurity, pedestrian access, and traffic management. Removing the Square’s gyratory system would have given both Londoners and visitors the chance to better understand and enjoy some of the capital’s most important buildings.
This Assembly believes that in cancelling this flagship project, and placing a question mark over other significant schemes, such as reconfiguring Stoke Newington gyratory and Elephant and Castle’s southern roundabout, the Mayor is failing in his election promise to ‘nurture and protect the public spaces that bind us all together’.
This Assembly therefore calls on the Mayor to live up to his promise by reconsidering his decision on Parliament Square, providing positive support for improving the public realm around Stoke Newington and Elephant and Castle, and publishing without delay details of a new public spaces programme."