Cleaning up London’s toxic air

The Mall (Admiralty Arch to Buck House) is pedestrianized and car-free on Sundays, so in theory it would be feasible to pedestrianize other streets. However, the Mall has no bus routes so if, for example, Piccadilly or Oxford Street were pedestrianized on Sundays, the buses would need to be rerouted.
I don't feel strongly about cyclists, but would suggest they be separated clearly from pedestrians -- it's not feasible to have cyclists moving at 10-20 kph while Mums are pushing kids in push-chairs at 1-3 kph -- accidents would be inevitable.
Leicester Square and Covent Garden have been permanently pedestrianized for several years. It would be interesting to examine the feasibility of permanently pedestrianizing some other locations such as Whitehall, 7 Dials, Sloane Square, parts of Camden, etc. Of course, delivery vans, refuse collectors and emergency services would still need access to service the residential and commercial properties in those areas, but if it can be done in Covent Garden it should be possible elsewhere.

The best solution of the polluted air problem in the centre of London is to ban people from going there. Their constant breathing in of comparatively fresh air and then breathing out of stale air is a major contributor to the cloud of smog that eventually will engulf London.

Pedestrianisation would be an ideal as would car free days, however this wouldn't be without risks to business and would necessitate decent planning and effective management. Creating zones solely for public transport (a la Amsterdam or Edinburgh) especially around cultural areas for tourism would be an excellent move but would require serious planning and cost in order to provide effective routing for traffic around those zones and provide infrastructure for business and shops within those zones to be serviced effectively

Why not make it completely vehicle free, including bikes? After all the pedestrian element among us don't necessarily see the so called 'benefits' of cycling. As a disabled person, I am unable to cycle and whilst I would have no objection to a vehicle free zone now and again, I feel that cyclists should not be allowed to disrupt the rest of us who want to enjoy an occasional stroll without someone whizzing by and shouting at us to clear the way..
Before all you 'holier than thou' cyclists start spouting your nonsense about the health benefits of cycling, remember that walking is just as healthy and would be a far more pleasurable experience without having look for cyclists who consider they have 'rights' that the rest of us don't.

It's a step in the right direction. It would be nice to see the attitude towards private cars change as did the attitude toward cigarettes.

People have the right to clean air every day, not just on special days. This idea is typical of the half-hearted, do-the-minimum-we-can-get-away-with approach to problems we are used to.

But we have to start somewhere, and if it highlights the potential gains from sustainable traffic management it will be worthwhile. And in response to some of the comments here, yes of course bikes should be allowed in pedestrianised areas. They are there now, and not part of the air quality problem. There should be separate tracks for them where traffic is heavy, but we need those now in any case.

Never. Who wants to turn London into a windswept provincial town? Vehicles are the lifeblood of the city. Wave goodbye to modernity everyone, here come tfl to take us back to pre modernity. Why aren't bicycles regulated?? They need taxing, insuring and licensing. If it is popular, raise revenue from it.

I'd welcome this, but even more so in the suburbs - allow people to experience their own local town centres - which most people live within walking distance of - traffic-free. (In some cases it might have to be just part of a town centre, so as not to disrupt the buses too badly).

I think as a driver I'm getting a raw deal, we pay for road usage but everything is being taken away from us, cyclist get lanes but still dont pay insurance and cycle badly, right turns have been taken away because of cyclists so I say no to car free zones as cyclists will no doubt be allowed

I am 72 and live in sheltered accommodation in Covent Garden. I no longer have a car but do need to hire one occasionally; also, my son comes to see me and take me out/help me in his car on weekends/bank holidays; I need access for taxis/hospital mini-bus. Pedestrianisation of my street (very likely) would seriously affect me as I cannot walk very far (I'm no longer strong enough to ride a bike) but I am not disabled enough to qualify for a disabled badge for my son's car. I am not against pedestrianisation as long as the needs of residents are taken into consideration.
I know London and Paris very well; it is RIDICULOUS to compare the two cities; London did not have a Hausmann to make its major routes into wide boulevards and wide pavements. Air pollution must be tackled here in London as it impacts badly on people of all ages. Lorries and big delivery vehicles are needed to keep our city functioning but there should be time restrictions on them on all days. The congestion charge should be increased for all vehicles, private cars included, that are not low-emission. I wish I could still cycle but I must say that there are too many cyclists with no road sense who put themselves in danger and many have an arrogant attitude to pedestrians: too many times, I have been scared by whiz-kids cutting across pavements, zebra crossings and jumping lights. All cyclists should have third party insurance; at my age, I am too creaky to jump out of the way.

Lovely unless you're disabled. Why is there never any mention of older frail people in these conversations about street closures? Lots of people can only walk very short distances - closing roads to motor traffic means older frail and disabled people will basically be barred from town centres.

In central London, all roads outside the bus roads should be pedestrianised, allowing cycle lanes and service vehicles. This can be managed by the type of paving, entry treatment, landscaping and ensuring such roads are no through roads with access only from one side. There may need to be gates/rising bollards at certain points to allow access for emergency vehicles and bin lorries. Outside, the London Plan should set a Living Streets framework with a clear hierarchy in all London's roads of pedestrians first, cyclists second, public transport third and car users last. All non-bus routes should be safe for children to play on with a 20Kph speed limit for cars just t park or service households. Special arrangements will have to apply where access s needed for businesses. All new developments should be designed as car free, with access to car clubs and a few visitor/disabled spaces.