Press Release
NEW OXFORD CIRCUS CROSSING OPEN FOR BUSINESS
2 November 2009
Europe's busiest diagonal crossing was unveiled today by London Mayor Boris Johnson, Roger Bright, The Crown Estate Chief Executive and Cllr Colin Barrow, following a £5 million makeover which has seen Oxford Circus get the X factor.
For the first time ever shoppers will be able to cross the busy intersection diagonally in an 'X' as well as straight ahead – meaning the junction will be able to handle double the number of pedestrians and ease overcrowding.
Taking a lead from Tokyo's famous Shibuya crossing, renowned for allowing large numbers to cross with ease, Oxford Circus, the gateway to London’s premier shopping destination, has had its barriers and street clutter ripped out and remodelled, giving the 200 million shoppers and workers that visit annually around 70 per cent more freedom to move around.
Half a kilometre of both Regent Street and Oxford Street are also being redesigned with wider pavements and new lighting.
And in homage to its far eastern inspiration the road was officially opened by the Mayor who struck a two metre high cymbal as Japanese musicians played taiko drums – and a giant X in the form of 60 metres of red ribbon was unfurled by devotees of cult Japanese Manga characters dressed in colourful costumes.
The redesigned road has increased the amount of pavement space by 312 metres squared, up 69 per cent from its previous capacity of 453 metres squared, and provides more room around the exits to Oxford Circus tube station.
The new crossing, which has been jointly funded by The Crown Estate, which owns Regent Street in its entirety, and Transport for London, builds on The Crown Estate’s £750 million Regent Street regeneration programme and also forms part of wider £40m plans led by Westminster City Council to renew the West End ahead of 2012.
The Chief Executive of The Crown Estate, Roger Bright, said: “This represents the biggest single improvement for West End pedestrians seen in the last 50 years and means that the gateway to Regent Street will be truly fitting for Europe’s premier shopping destination.”
The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, said: "This project is a triumph for British engineering, Japanese innovation and good old fashioned common sense. The head scratching frustration caused by the previous design is over and we’ve brought one of the world’s greatest crossroads into the twenty first century. Being able to cross in an oblique rather than a perpendicular fashion will make Oxford Circus incredibly more efficient for the millions of pedestrians and road users that use the crossing every year.”
Westminster City Council's Leader, Cllr Colin Barrow, said: "Taking our inspiration from the Far East makes perfect sense as the Japanese have perfected the art of managing large numbers of people through good design and engineering, and the West End, like Tokyo's Shibuya district, is a fashion and entertainment hub which attracts visitors in huge numbers."
London’s Transport Commissioner, Peter Hendy said: “We were delighted to be able to part fund this hugely innovative scheme. The new diagonal layout will deliver a vastly improved crossing for pedestrians and the additional pavement space will allow easier access to Oxford Circus tube station which will benefit many thousands of passengers who use the station each day.”
The major engineering project took just six months to complete and involved complete remodelling above and below ground, including removing old traffic islands and void spaces, whilst keeping traffic moving and catering for millions of pedestrians.
Concrete and metal barriers have been ripped out and paving now boasts top quality and durable York stone which has been coated with special chemical to help make removing chewing gum easier.
Traffic lights have been re-phased so that the vehicles from all four directions are stopped simultaneously for 30 seconds allowing people to walk safely across the junction diagonally. The complete traffic sequence is 115-120 seconds.
As part of the work additional 'oases' are being created in nearby side roads Princes Street and Little Argyll Street, which will be part pedestrianised to allow for al fresco dining and possible street entertainment.
The New West End Company which represents businesses in Bond Street, Oxford Street and Regent Street supported the scheme.
Dame Judith Mayhew Jonas, Chairman of New West End Company, said: "We are delighted this important project has been completed just before the start of the busy Christmas shopping period with over 40 million shoppers visiting our district over the next six weeks. What a great early Christmas present for them all."
The busy intersection is one of the most popular destinations in the world with more than 200 million visitors a year, and designers have adapted the same technology used in blockbuster films such as the Lord of the Rings to ensure the layout of the new crossing can cope with the vast numbers of people who pass through it, which at peak periods is up to 32,000 every hour.
The West End boasts more retail space than Paris and Rome, and its shops alone generate an annual revenue in excess of £5.5 bn.
The West End is home not only to the biggest concentration of retailing in Europe, but also to the £1 bn a year theatre industry, the world’s biggest concentration of media companies and boasts more restaurants and bars than any other part of the UK. In total the West End's diverse economy accounts for 19% of London's GDP.
But the capital's fashion industry and the fact the West End attracts young fashion-conscious people for shopping, dining and entertainment, makes its parallels with Tokyo's Shibuya district relevant.
To reflect the Far Eastern links Taiko drummers or Japanese drummers led by the world famous Joji Hirota, known as the Nigel Kennedy of Japan, played Taiko drums for the formal opening which saw the road closed for just five minutes.
Holding two sections of 26 m red ribbon cosplayers, devotees of cult Japanese Manga characters dressed in colourful costumes and arranged by the Grand Cosplay Ball helped mark the opening.
The Grand Cosplay Ball is an international cosplay event taking place in London on 29 November 2009.
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