Ward: West End

Streets Affected: Cambridge Circus, Dean Street, Denman Street, Frith Street, Great Windmill Street, Romilly Street, Rupert Street, Shaftesbury Avenue, Wardour Street

Project Type: Traffic, Safety & Parking

Project Overview

Transport for London (TfL) is currently promoting Bus Route 38 through the London Bus Priority Network (LBPN) partnership.

A set of preferred proposals has been identified in order to  improve journey times and reliability for buses at the same time as producing benefits to other road users.

TfL have produced carriageway design proposals for Shaftesbury Avenue to facilitate the improvements required as part of the Route 38 project.  In August 2006, the City Council instructed its service provider, West One, to commence a review of the existing proposals and to provide a detailed design for the Shaftesbury Avenue highway improvements. 

The scheme design proposals include:

• Alterations to the traffic signals at the junctions of Shaftesbury Avenue with Rupert Street and Wardour Street to provide new pedestrian phases.
• Raising the carriageway to footway level in Shaftesbury Avenue between Rupert Street and Wardour Street to enhance the pedestrian amenity and give a central focus to Theatre land.
• Providing raised tables at the entrance to Shaftesbury Avenue at junctions with Denman Street, Great Windmill Street, Rupert Street, Wardour Street and Dean Street.
• Replacing the existing zebra crossing in Shaftesbury Avenue at its junction with Dean Street with a puffin crossing. 
• Widening and repaving of the footways along Shaftesbury Avenue using natural stone pavers.
• Improved street lighting and a bespoke decorative lighting arrangement on those lamp columns in the vicinity of theatre buildings.
• Convert the section of Dean Street between Shaftesbury Avenue and Romilly Street from two-way traffic flow to one-way northerly flow. 
• Install two ‘Buses and Loading Only’ lay-bays and one ‘Loading Only’ lay-by along Shaftesbury Avenue.
• Install new loading bays in Dean Street and Frith Street
• Install a new section of eastbound bus lane in Shaftesbury Avenue from its junction with Frith Street to the traffic signals at Cambridge Circus.
• Install new advanced stop line for cyclists at the west approach to Cambridge Circus
• Install special feature paving outside some theatres aimed to provide an enhanced environment adjacent to theatres within the West End.

Status

Works completed

Outline Programme

April 2008 - April 2009

Project Documents