• IN your December 3 report of the Westminster City Council debate about the future of Oxford Street there was no mention of the most pressing issue, which is traffic reduction in the West End.

At the moment we are plagued with too many vehicles using our streets as rat-runs to shorten their journeys by a few minutes. The resultant noise, collisions, and pollution is exactly the opposite of what we should be aiming for.

Quiet, great air quality, and less trafficked streets is the only way forward; which is what is happening in all major cities around the world. London is fast becoming the “Cinderella” capital, missing out on a dramatic improvement for active travel.

If the Oxford Street District plans are to mean anything, we need bolder moves by our city council. Yes, any radical proposal will upset some, but the situation is too serious to kick this particular ball down the road.

The future success or failure of the West End is at stake. It is that serious.

PETER HARTLEY
Chair, Westminster Living Streets