Two hundred years after architect John Nash first dreamed of connecting London’s royal parks through grand boulevards, his vision is finally set to become reality. Westminster City Council and The Crown Estate have unveiled ambitious plans that would fundamentally reshape the West End’s most iconic streets, creating what officials describe as “breathing spaces” in one of the world’s busiest urban centers.
The centerpiece of the proposal involves transforming Regent Street St James’s into a car-free promenade, extending southward from the newly expanded pedestrian plaza at Piccadilly Circus all the way to St James’s Park. This bold move would create an uninterrupted corridor where visitors could stroll from the green spaces of one royal park to another without dodging traffic.
“We’re not just removing cars—we’re reclaiming the street as a place for people,” explained Geoff Barraclough, Westminster’s cabinet member for planning and economic development. The transformation goes beyond simple pedestrianisation, incorporating what planners call “urban greening” throughout Regent Street, with new trees, wider sidewalks, and improved crossings replacing the current central traffic island.
The scheme also addresses cycling safety, introducing protected bike lanes along Regent Street while converting Haymarket to two-way traffic to better distribute vehicle flow around the area. These changes reflect a growing understanding that successful urban planning requires balancing multiple modes of transportation rather than simply removing one.
Perhaps most significantly, the proposals arrive as Mayor Sadiq Khan pushes forward with his own pedestrianisation plans for Oxford Street, creating what could become the largest car-free shopping district in Europe. City Hall officials confirm they’ve been coordinating with Westminster Council to ensure the two projects complement rather than compete with each other.
“This represents a once-in-a-generation opportunity to reimagine how we experience central London,” said Kristy Lansdown from The Crown Estate. “The pandemic showed us how quickly people adapt to reclaimed street space, and now we’re making those temporary changes permanent.”
The public will have until August 10th to weigh in on the proposals, with final implementation plans and funding arrangements expected to be finalized by 2026. For a city that has spent decades prioritizing vehicles over pedestrians, these plans represent nothing short of revolutionary change—a return to Nash’s original vision of London as a city built for human connection rather than automotive convenience.
Public consultation on the West End transformation plans continues through August 10th via Westminster City Council’s website.
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Good idea IF they put places to sit, for free, in sunshine, there. I was on Oxford St the other day and wanted some sunshine and more importantly to sit down, as I am not well. There were about two-four seats total in hundreds of metres distance, a disgrace! Then at Hyde Park or Marble Arch is not near the shops, and none of this really has a relaxed vibe. Too commercial, and you FEEL it, not done in a polite way. Same thing that puts me off the lovely architecture of Amsterdam.