Cars, taxis and trucks to face Tottenham Court road ban

Council bosses have unveiled a radical plan to ban cars and lorries from the one of the busiest streets in the West End.

Camden's Labour leaders plan to widen the pavements in Tottenham Court Road to coincide with the arrival of Crossrail.

They claim the new Crossrail interchange will make Tottenham Court Rd station "busier than Heathrow" used by more than 300,000 people a day.

The current northbound one-way system will become two-way traffic but cars, lorries and vans will be banned between 8am and 7pm.

The council plans "protected cycle lanes" but believes fully-segregated lanes are unnecessary.

Almost 300 trees will be planted and in Alfred Place, the tarmac will be replaced by turf to create a new park.

The £32m scheme will also see two-way traffic in Gower Street and some roads closed to traffic altogether.