'Scale back the bus routes clogging up Oxford Street'

Vital new life could be breathed into Oxford Street by scaling down the number of buses that swamp it, a new report claims.

Twenty-four bus routes send 330 buses along Oxford Street each hour, and flood Regent Street with 220 buses per hour. Business lobby group London First says the constant stream of buses is putting a stranglehold on the world famous shopping streets.

It causes a huge build-up of congestion on nearby routes, with traffic jams consisting almost entirely of buses.

Today the group called for a graduated reduction in the number of bus routes along the two streets. It said some should terminate just short of both streets, with passengers encouraged to switch to overlapping routes.

Transport experts working for London First gauged the ef fect of terminating six routes in the Marble Arch and Tottenham Court Road areas.

It found the scale-down would reduce bus traffic in Oxford and Regent Streets by 20 per cent. Only five per cent of passengers would have to switch routes, but 200,000 passengers would benefit from more reliable journey times. Transport for London would save about £3 million in operating costs.

London First called on TfL to review West End bus routes, including changes to the Oyster card to prevent those switching buses being charged twice.

Steve McNamara, of the Licensed Taxi Drivers Association, said: "Oxford Street is a nightmare because of buses; most people get out to walk as it is quicker than staying on board."

A TfL spokesperson said: "We have asked London First to send us a copy of this study but as we have not yet received it we are not in a position to comment on their proposals.

"We are working hard with Westminster Council to make Oxford Street attractive and convenient to access for visitors as well as those who work in the area. It is an incredibly popular area and is one of the top destinations in the country.

"The new Mayor has made clear his commitment to working with all parties to improve traffic flow in the area, and to provide a better experience for pedestrians."