Improving the square
Proposed improvements
Parliament Square is a world-famous public square, with historical, political, religious and cultural importance. But it has become disconnected from its rich cultural and historical heritage, and is today little more than a traffic island. The principal aim of the proposed improvements was to create a high-quality urban space, sensitive to the surrounding architecture and the square's international significance, by closing the south side of the square - the road which connects St Margaret's Church and Westminster Abbey. With accompanying improvements to traffic management and pedestrian facilities around the rest of the square, this would have enhanced and expanded the public space. The cost of the project was estimated at £15-18m.
The Mayor's decision
The Mayor acknowledged that a lot of good work had been carried out around the potential scheme but, having reviewed the proposals in detail, he had serious concerns, in particular:
- the required pedestrianisation would have a significant negative impact on traffic flow, not only in Westminster but also in the wider local area and around central London
- the unacceptable loss of green space in central London
- cost
He requested revisions to the scheme to address the first two of these issues, but was unconvinced and was further concerned that the £18 million proposals were not fully funded. For these reasons, it was felt the scheme could not be progressed.
