Westminster City Council this week opened a consultation on its plans for the future of the Oxford Street district. These involve increasing walking space while retaining two way vehicle movement along the length of Oxford Street.

This latest consultation comes after the council vetoed plans to close off the street – which suffers from congestion, poor road safety and air pollution – to east-west traffic. These issues are expected to be further exacerbated with the opening of the Elizabeth Line next year.

“We recognise that a major overhaul is urgently required,” said Westminster City Council’s cabinet member for place shaping and planning Richard Beddoe. “That’s why we have a new district wide plan with over 90 different projects proposed across 85 separate locations.”

The council’s ‘Place Strategy and Delivery Plan’ includes proposals for extensive improvements at Oxford Circus, Marble Arch and Cavendish Square, and will see it set aside £50M a year over the next three years to get works under way. Support is also sought from private and public partners.

However for some, the latest plans represent a missed opportunity. “The proposals from the City of Westminster are no doubt a step in the right direction,” said walking charity Living Streets’ chief executive Joe Irvin.

“But the problems of road safety, overcrowding and pollution in Oxford Street require a transformative plan and we are not convinced these proposals are enough to meet the challenges. We also remain concerned that traffic domination across the wider area is not being adequately addressed.”

Living Streets is calling for the council to go further by developing ‘low traffic neighbourhoods’, reducing on street parking and adopting an ultra low emission zone across the district.

London Cycling Campaign chief executive Dr Ashok Sinha said: “The council’s timid proposals will not decisively reduce motor traffic in the area as is so urgently needed. As a result, Oxford Street will continue to be choked by traffic fumes, blighted by overcrowded pavements, and present unacceptable dangers to cycling.”

The Campaign called for a return to the original plan to remove traffic from the whole route while providing high quality cycling routes and improving bus services for the area.

A spokesman for Sadiq Khan said the Mayor had been briefed by Westminster City Council on its latest plan, which will be considered in detail alongside Transport for London over the coming weeks.

“The Mayor has made clear that the status quo simply isn’t an option for the future of Oxford Street. For the millions of Londoners and visitors who use it every year, nothing short of a transformation is required,” the spokesman said.

“Any new plans must secure the future of the West End’s economy and provide comprehensive solutions to the major challenges facing the area.”

Westminster City Council’s consultation will run until 16 December.

Photograph: David Holt and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence