NRP engineers assisted City of London Corporation to develop a strategy to reduce considerably the traffic demand through the junction.
Specifically, the aim was to improve pedestrian and cyclist safety at the Bank junction and develop a significant public realm enhancement. Consequently, NRP was commissioned to assist with the design for the Bank on Safety Experimental Scheme. This is an initial trial intended to form the development of more permanent changes.
These changes will affect the layout of the Bank junction and the traffic management arrangements in The City surrounding areas. Notably, the trial commenced in 2017. Additionally, services provided include local traffic modelling (TRANSYT and LinSig) and microsimulation traffic modelling (VISSIM). All modelling is subject to the exacting standards of the Transport for London Model Auditing Process.
Client:
City of London CorporationLocation:
City of LondonSector:
Government and Public SectorServices:
Traffic Engineering & Modelling
Bank Junction: A Historic Hub and Vital Transportation Node in London
Bank junction, in the heart of the City of London, is formed from the intersection of six main historic streets including Cornhill, Threadneedle Street and Cheapside/Poultry, surrounding the world-famous institutions of the Bank of England, Royal Exchange and Mansion House.
Bank junction is also the location of London’s 3rd busiest underground station, serving Central, Northern and Waterloo & City lines, as well as the Docklands Light Railway. Some 25,000 people pass through the junction in a single hour during the morning and evening peak periods, mostly on foot. The Bank station upgrade and the growth of the City will increase pedestrian footfall, and there is a significant and growing proportion of cyclists.
Enhancing Bank Junction Safety and Traffic Management
The City of London Corporation has recently commissioned a series of studies on the traffic conditions, public realm, and safety at the junction. These include the Bank Area Enhancement Study and the Bank Junction Feasibility Study. The junction is controlled using traffic signals. However, it is notoriously complex, with numerous traffic islands and conflicting, potentially hazardous movements of traffic, cyclists, and pedestrians. Sometimes, this leads to long delays. Studies show that the vast majority of pedestrians do not wait for the green man signal when crossing. This behavior puts themselves and others at risk. Additionally, the priority nature of some traffic movements can lead to confusion.
