Westminster’s Transport Strategy – have your say

Have you commented yet on Westminster's Transport Strategy on Commonplace? It's been extended and ends on 21 July. Read on for some tips on how to respond…

We welcome the plan for an overarching ‘sustainable transport strategy’, which Westminster hasn’t had before. We also agree with its six priorities: road safety, access & inclusion, health & exercise, air quality, climate change and a sustainable economy. 

Right now, many of Westminster’s roads are dangerous, polluted, bad for the climate and exclude many kinds of people from safe active travel. Our main suggestions are below.

Ways to respond

You can enter a quick comment here, where it’s easy to make overarching comments about transport in Westminster, like one or more of our points below.

Or to comment on a specific area, drop a pin in the map.

Note that for each comment, you will need to verify it by email before it’s published, which is a bit of a hassle. But please persevere! Do also ‘like’ other people’s comments that you agree with.

Our ideas for the transport strategy

Why not make some of Westminster’s most iconic streets traffic-free? For instance, across the whole West End there could be a timed restriction on all vehicles except buses for most of the day, to make the whole area a pleasant place to shop and spend time, boosting traders' incomes and cutting collisions. Also many of Westminster’s iconic squares and public places could have reduced or no traffic, following the example of The Strand. 

Keep through traffic off minor roads. Streets that do not need to carry through traffic – like shopping streets and residential neighbourhoods – should be access-only for motor vehicles. This will open up whole areas of people-priority streets where active travel is safe for all.

Give all of Westminster's children the choice of active travel to school, by creating a network of safe cycle routes, crossings and school streets. Streets that enable children to walk and cycle will enable other types of people too.

Have a 'best in class' kerbside strategy – and act on it - that prioritises sustainable measures like cycle lanes, greenery and cycle parking over the storage of private vehicles.

Emerging themes from the comments

People are already calling for less motor traffic and/or better walking and cycling facilities. We hope the council will take note – add your voice to theirs and respond today!