Police vans and ambulances are left stuck in traffic after council widens street

By Jacob Phillips, local democracy reporter

Emergency vehicles have been left stuck in traffic after the council widened a street.

Stranded police vans and ambulances have been forced to mount kerbs on their way to incidents.

Video footage shows ambulances rushing to emergencies in Regent Street but getting stuck in traffic – forcing them to drive on the pavement.

Mike Buckley, a cab driver who uses the road daily, says the road changes have led to regular traffic jams.

He said: “It’s a disaster. A bus broke down a few weeks ago. Traffic couldn’t go anywhere.

“I have seen ambulances regularly stuck on it.”

Mike added that the traffic has got so bad that police vans have had to swap to the opposite side of the road and use.

Since the road changes were introduced, taxi journey times have doubled in the area, Mike said.

Before the changes, taxis zoomed down the designated bus lane but now all traffic is forced to wait in one lane.

The traffic is so bad that his passengers tend to ask Mike if they can get out early rather than wait stuck in the traffic.

The Crown Estate and Westminster City Council have been trialling widening Regent Street’s pavements since October 2020 to help social distancing measures take place.

The major street’s lane was reduced to just one as part of an 18-month trial.

If the changes are successful, the street could be permanently transformed in May 2021.

Recently the council also looked into temporarily pedestrianising large sections of Oxford Street but the project was cancelled.

The aim had been to close a 150m-long section to vehicles by January, and “calm” traffic in Regent Street with longer green phases at pedestrian crossings and other measures.

The Tory-led council recently ruled out pedestrianising Oxford Street despite 20 per cent of shops closed on the street because of the pandemic.

Regent Street has hosted a number of car-free days to reduce air pollution in the area and provide a more enjoyable shopping experience for visitors.