Winter 2025 Newsletter

Busy times in Westminster!

Proposals for Healthier Streets in Westminster continue to flood in from both the Council and the Mayor. So sit down with your favourite hot drink and join in the conversations! In this month's newsletter we have:

• Next meeting - Monday 1 December

• Sustainable Transport Strategy Consultation

• Oxford Street Consultation

• Maida Vale to Regents Park

• LCC Campaign Awards in Soho - 16 December

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Next meeting - Monday 1 December

Join us on Monday, December 1st at 6.30pm for our Zoom call to learn more about the hot topics.

We had hoped to hold the final meeting again in person in the South of Westminster, but that has not been possible. 

Topic: Westminster Cycling's Zoom Meeting

https://us05web.zoom.us/j/89238965814?pwd=Fg8GjborzZp3JSyz1tBFr4Qi0hWTAV.1

Meeting ID: 892 3896 5814

Passcode: 1Gn3kN

Our New Year Meeting is on January 5th 6.30 to 7.30pm using the same Zoom Link. We will announce in person meetings next year and their locations in January.

Sustainable Transport Strategy Consultation

Closes on December 8 - just over a week left to respond.

Westminster's first ever transport strategy will hopefully set a sustainable agenda in the borough for years to come. It's important to help make it as good as possible.

Please respond. You might like to say:

1. The target for cycle routes in Westminster is very welcome: ‘Installing new cycle routes and improving existing routes to ensure that by 2040 all residents of Westminster live within 400m of a cycle route that is appropriate to the street type and meets the highest standards of safety and accessibility, as set out in LTN 1/20 (or its successors).' 

2. We welcome the traffic reduction target, but how will it be achieved?Westminster is aiming to reduce vehicle miles driven in the borough by 27% by 2030. Great, but the strategy needs to show clear measures to achieve that. 

3. Street types - we welcome the practice of defining streets by type, but it needs to be clearer how each type will be treated. For instance, most 'Type A Liveable Streets', eg in residential neighbourhoods, surely only need to provide vehicles access to properties, not to cut through (as for the City of London Street Hierarchy). This should be set as Westminster policy, not just 'where it is called for by local people'.

4. What about creating a ‘low traffic West End’ by implementing a traffic circulation plan? See the LCC report here.

Don't forget to add your thoughts about specific issues on the Transport Strategy Map and ‘like’ others’ good points! Comment on areas that need traffic reduction, eg removing through traffic, as well as better cycle infrastructure.

Another Oxford Street Consultation

Another Oxford Street consultation! This is an important one, about proposals for transport and highway changes - in other words, what about cycling?!

There are currently 5,000 cycle trips a day on Oxford Street - where will they go? While we think cycle tracks are feasible on the street itself, the Mayor seems determined to ban cycling there. Here are some tips on responding:

• Even without banning cycling on Oxford Street, TfL’s analysis shows that at least three high-quality cycle routes are needed on either side 

• Given Westminster residents’ concerns about the scheme increasing traffic in their neighbourhoods, why not take out through traffic throughout these West End areas, to both make them more liveable and provide safe cycling?

• Finally, this is another opportunity to point out the Low Traffic West End report!

We understand that Westminster City Council is making plans for cycle routes, but these need to be brought forward as soon as possible. The Mayor's office needs to work closely with Westminster to deliver a workable plan.

We will be know more soon and hopefully be able to finalise the Westminster Cycling response at our January 5th Zoom Call. So join us on the link above at 6.30pm.

Closes January 16th

Maida Vale to Regent’s Park Cycleway

This scheme is offering a high-quality alternative to cycling on the towpath on Regents Canal. It will join up cycle routes in Westminster and Camden that will be a major boost to London's cycling network.

Please support option 1 - a much more direct, intuitive route, which offers protected space for cycling and will transform some very hostile roads!

It is great to see the council considering this option, which is fully in line with best design practice and considers social safety and directness for cycle routes - as recommended by Active Travel England (LTN 1/20) and the LCC Women’s Network! 

Closes January 14th 

LCC Campaign Awards on 16 December

There's still time to nominate a group or individual for an LCC Campaign award! Nominations close on Monday 1 December. 

And the awards social evening is in Westminster so why not join us? We'll be in St Anne's Church, Soho.

Find out more and book your free place before they're gone via the link below...