Lessons from New York

It is extraordinary that the Americans are showing us how to do things in terms of urban planning. Not only are light rail schemes popping up everywhere, but now New York is shutting several major intersections around Broadway to give pedestrians exclusive access.
Yet in London, the backward looking Boris, who is showing himself up to be the small c conservative that his blustering style masks, has scrapped plans to part-pedestrianise various major squares such Parliament Square – although the Tamils have done their best to try to take it over in recent weeks causing traffic chaos which would not have happened had it been pedestrianised as originally envisaged – and shown no interest in pursuing closure of Oxford Street, which will be its only salvation.
This is not being anti-car. The motor car has its place but at the Mayor of New York seems to have recognised, that place is not in the centre of towns. He points out that pedestrianisation is good for business, as well as the environment and will even improve traffic flow on other routes. Come on Boris, learn the lesson.

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