Project summary
The West End Project, valued at £35m, transformed 3.5km of central London, including New Oxford Street, Tottenham Court Road, and Shaftsbury Avenue.
It is the largest public realm project the London Borough of Camden has undertaken and is aimed to enhance the local community’s experience by balancing development needs and reducing traffic dominance.
Key features included:
- Conversion of one-way streets to two-way to lessen traffic impact.
- Widened footways with high-quality paving for improved pedestrian experience.
- 1.2km segregated cycle lanes, including a 1km two-way segment on Gower Street.
- New pocket parks, recreational areas, and revamped public spaces.
- Diagonal crossing at Tottenham Court Rd and New Oxford Street junction.
- NRP’s role encompassed cost consultancy, project management, stakeholder liaison and contract management. LDA Design contributed pocket park and green space designs. The project demanded intricate traffic modifications and road space reallocation for cycle lanes, necessitating updated signage and road markings.
The project also introduced new street furniture, including cycle racks, seating, connected information boards, and upgraded street lighting. Extensive community engagement ensured the designs met Camden’s diverse needs.
Other key improvements include upgraded signalised intersections, protected cycle lanes, widened footpaths and improved public spaces.
The project is split into three key areas:
- Tottenham Court Road is to be constructed as two way for buses first to relieve congestion in the surrounding network and so passengers can arrive and leave from TCR
- Gower Street will become two-way for all other vehicles and new stepped cycle tracks will be provided
- Princes Circus – Shaftesbury Avenue will become two-way for all vehicles and large public realm spaces will be provided
