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City of London sets date for cars, lorries and vans to be banned from Bank Junction

18-month experimental scheme to make junction safer for people on foot and on bike will begin on Monday 22 May

The City of London Corporation has confirmed Monday 22 May as the date when all vehicles other than buses and bicycles will be banned from Bank Junction under an experimental safety scheme while consultation continues into longer-term measures, which may include full pedestrianisation.

Seven major roads including Cheapside, Poultry and King William Street meet at the junction, which has one of the worst safety records in the capital and where 26-year-old cyclist Ying Tao was killed when she was riding to work in June 2015.

Her death led to two ‘die-in’ protests at the junction by the campaign group Stop Killing Cyclists, and the following year the City of London Corporation unveiled its All Change at Bank scheme to ban vehicles including lorries and taxis from the junction between 7am and 7pm on weekdays and possibly pedestrianise it.

As an interim measure over the next 18 months, called Bank on Safety, the junction will be closed to traffic other than buses and bicycles between those hours from 22 May. There will also be local access only restrictions on sections of the roads radiating out from it, as shown on this map.

Unveiling the restrictions last week, the City of London Corporation said:

Bank Junction does not work very well. It has heavy pedestrian use and many of the Bank station exits are located on, or close to, the main junction. This contributes to pedestrians crowding on the narrow pavements around junction. The area also has a high collision and casualty record and requires improvement.

London Underground is undertaking a large capacity upgrade of Bank station which will increase the numbers of passengers able to interchange between lines within the station as well as enter and exit. This work is expected to finish in 2021.

It is proposed that the surface level should be improved within the same time frame as the underground station upgrade. This would assist the expected increase in demand in the area over the coming years.

The Corporation says that ultimately the proposed changes at Bank will “reduce casualties by simplifying the junction, reduce pedestrian crowding levels, improve air quality and improve the perception of place, as a place to spend time in rather than pass through.”

> Guest blog: London's Bank junction trial aims for dramatic reduction in cyclist and pedestrian casualties

The proposals have however been opposed by bodies representing the capital’s black cab drivers who have held a series of protests, with the Licensed Taxi Drivers’ Association describing them as "the craziest scheme anyone has suggested for some time."

But in response to a protest by the United Cabbies Group, i in January, London Cycling Campaign chief executive Askok Sinha said: “This is not about cars versus bicycles, or pedestrians versus taxis.

“It’s about stopping more terrible fatalities, celebrating the City’s iconic buildings and spaces, and making the area a hugely more attractive place to work, do business and visit. 

> Taxi protest over Bank junction branded 'misguided'

In a blog post published on road.cc the same month, the City of London Corporation’s Planning and Transportation Committee Chairman, Christopher Hayward outlined the proposed temporary measures that have now been confirmed.

> Guest blog: London's Bank Junction trial aims for dramatic reduction in cyclist and pedestrian casualties

He said: “A number of casualties and fatalities have highlighted very real concerns about safety at this junction.

“With cyclists now making up to 50% of the traffic crossing the junction in peak times, we felt that it was fundamental that cyclist safety be seen as a very important.

“I would like to underline that this is an experimental scheme. It may last up to 18 months, but the scheme will be under regular review,” he added.

Simon joined road.cc as news editor in 2009 and is now the site’s community editor, acting as a link between the team producing the content and our readers. A law and languages graduate, published translator and former retail analyst, he has reported on issues as diverse as cycling-related court cases, anti-doping investigations, the latest developments in the bike industry and the sport’s biggest races. Now back in London full-time after 15 years living in Oxford and Cambridge, he loves cycling along the Thames but misses having his former riding buddy, Elodie the miniature schnauzer, in the basket in front of him.

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12 comments

Avatar
FatBoyW | 6 years ago
0 likes

On my occaisional visits to the city I Boris bike in and often have to travel through this junction - its great to see them ake positive actions to make it safer and I look forward to trying it out.

Avatar
BehindTheBikesheds | 6 years ago
0 likes

Oh look, as I said on the thread about not needing infra being built. Remove the hazards/those endangering life and that is far more effective than building mickey poor segregated.

Avatar
IanW1968 | 6 years ago
1 like

I walked through there last week, the air is poisonous.  All vehicles should be banned, people on bikes should take care around pedestrians. 

Not difficult is it.  

Avatar
webster | 6 years ago
2 likes

I ride through this junction daily.

The taxi drivers frequently jump the lights and block the junction. I can assure you traffic will run through here much smoother without them and the few private cars and minicabs that do drive through here. One of the biggest problems here is the pedestrians frequently, and in large numbers, ignore the crossing signals and come close on a daily basis to getting themselves run over by a bus. There's one corner in particular where this is a problem. The new restriction won't change them.

Avatar
dottigirl replied to webster | 6 years ago
1 like

webster wrote:

One of the biggest problems here is the pedestrians frequently, and in large numbers, ignore the crossing signals and come close on a daily basis to getting themselves run over by a bus. There's one corner in particular where this is a problem. The new restriction won't change them.

And with the buses travelling faster due to less traffic...

Avatar
Chris Hayes | 6 years ago
1 like

Amazing!  But the taxi drivers are right: Given that the BoE is a major junction (for 6 major roads) this will effectively ban traffic from much of the City. So let them park their 18mpg diesels elsewhere...  

Avatar
webster replied to Chris Hayes | 6 years ago
2 likes

Chris Hayes wrote:

Amazing!  But the taxi drivers are right: Given that the BoE is a major junction (for 6 major roads) this will effectively ban traffic from much of the City. So let them park their 18mpg diesels elsewhere...  

It won't ban any traffic from the city. There is an abundance of roads that circle this junction. It was proved at their last protest at this junction.

Avatar
Chris Hayes replied to webster | 6 years ago
1 like

webster wrote:

Chris Hayes wrote:

Amazing!  But the taxi drivers are right: Given that the BoE is a major junction (for 6 major roads) this will effectively ban traffic from much of the City. So let them park their 18mpg diesels elsewhere...  

It won't ban any traffic from the city. There is an abundance of roads that circle this junction. It was proved at their last protest at this junction.

Morning...I said effectively ban.  The article mentions access only restrictions on feeder roads... Most drivers will avoid them, I'm sure.  Obviously there will be displacement, but overall 18months should be enough of a nudge to reduce traffic.  

Avatar
ooldbaker | 6 years ago
6 likes

...with the Licensed Taxi Drivers’ Association describing them as "the craziest scheme anyone has suggested for some time."....

i.e since the last proposed cycle lane.

Avatar
Man of Lard replied to ooldbaker | 6 years ago
8 likes
Quote:

...with the Licensed Taxi Drivers’ Association describing them as "the craziest scheme anyone has suggested for some time."....

If it's upsetting taxi drivers, it's probably a good thing for the rest of humanity... Applies to just about anything.

Avatar
Accessibility f... | 6 years ago
7 likes

I don't live in London and rarely visit, but I'd like people to look at this view:

https://goo.gl/maps/dDVKQcMm7Jo

...and then imagine it fully pedestrianised, with tables, chairs, popup bars and cafes, children playing, etc.  I know the plan is to still allow buses through, but you could do that on one or two corners and still make it a very nice place to be.

Of course the black cab drivers would still rather sit there in their tractors, regaling their bored customers with tales of when they had that David Cameron in the back seat.

Avatar
ConcordeCX replied to Accessibility for all | 6 years ago
2 likes

Peowpeowpeowlasers wrote:

I don't live in London and rarely visit, but I'd like people to look at this view:

https://goo.gl/maps/dDVKQcMm7Jo

...and then imagine it fully pedestrianised, with tables, chairs, popup bars and cafes, children playing, etc.  I know the plan is to still allow buses through, but you could do that on one or two corners and still make it a very nice place to be.

Of course the black cab drivers would still rather sit there in their tractors, regaling their bored customers with tales of when they had that David Cameron in the back seat.

they could turn the Bank of England into a trendy wine bar and replace it with a gold bullion dispenser.

 

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