Cars and lorries to be banned from Tottenham Court Road

Camden Council has voted to ban taxis, cars and lorries from Tottenham Court Road - restricting them to local access between 8 o'clock at night and 7 o'clock in the morning.

It's part of a £41m redesign of the area, which the council says is needed before the opening of Crossrail in 2018, which will bring many more pedestrians to the area. It's predicted that Tottenham Court Road will actually become busier than Heathrow Airport.

Pavements will also be widened and the street will become two-way for cyclists and buses.

The council says it will reduce congestion and pollution, and make the area safer for cyclists and pedestrians.

But the Licenced Taxi Drivers Association says the plan is ludicrous, arguing that it will have a knock-on effect on other streets and that it will hit disabled people needing access by taxi.