Firms want Oxford Street buses cut by a third

Business leaders today issued a fresh call for a big cut in the number of buses in Oxford Street.

Mayor Boris Johnson has pledged to reduce services by 10 per cent but others say this will still leave the area congested and they need to be slashed by a third.

Dame Judith Mayhew Jonas, chairwoman of the New West End Company which represents businesses around Oxford Street, Bond Street and Regent Street, told the London Assembly: "London's West End should be enjoyed not endured. We want to create an environment where the pedestrian is the priority and call for a 33 per cent reduction in bus services.

"We are not seeking complete pedestrianisation as this is not feasible. The objective should not be to divert routes to neighbouring streets, rather it should be to reduce the overall number of routes serving Oxford Street and Regent Street."