§ Lord Northfieldasked Her Majesty's Government:
What progress has been made on the proposals to pedestrianise parts of Trafalgar Square; and when the work will begin. [HL2247]
§ Lord Whitty:The proposal to pedestrianise the north side of Trafalgar Square was included in the "World Squares for All" Masterplan produced by Sir Norman Foster and published in August 1998. The masterplan covers the historic area around Trafalgar Square, Parliament Square and Whitehall and seeks to redress the balance between vehicles and pedestrians, improve the historic environment and give the area back to Londoners and visitors to enjoy.
Westminster City Council appointed consultants on 9 March 1999 to carry out the initial and detailed design for Phase 1 (covering Trafalgar Square, St. Martin's Place and Northumberland Avenue) which is expected to take 18 months. Subject to funding and consents being in place, implementation could start in spring 2001.