Anyone tried the new Shibuya-like crossing at Oxford Circus?

artaxerxes
artaxerxes Posts: 612
edited November 2009 in Commuting chat
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/green-living-blog/2009/nov/03/oxford-circus-urban-cycling

I used to avoid Oxford Circus because of the congestion, both on the pavement and the roads. I guess we'll see how well this new layout works during the Christmas period.

Comments

  • owenlars
    owenlars Posts: 719
    Foe the life of me I can't understand why anyone would voluntarily go anywhere near Oxford Circus!
  • I go through it everyday. Never seems that bad to me, although obviously theres a lot of buses.
    Don't whether the new layout is going to be better or worse. Right now just the fact that it doesn't have a load of road works at it with temporary lights is a massive improvement.
  • will3
    will3 Posts: 2,173
    There's a circus in Oxford?
  • I went through there yesterday though normally I avoid Oxford St like the plague due to bus chaos and suicidal peds. For the next 2 months it will be like a new circle of hell.

    But anyway the x-crossing was a non-event as I sailed through on a green. But they have taken away all the railings so be very careful for peds walking out at random.
    <a>road</a>
  • Stuey01
    Stuey01 Posts: 1,273
    It was a nightmare as a ped with all the railings, tube entrances, people stood around blocking the way, I think this will be a great improvement. I never cycle there so won't comment on that.
    Not climber, not sprinter, not rouleur
  • rich_e
    rich_e Posts: 389
    It's a major improvement for Pedestrians, they had to sort it out.

    I walked past it as people were doing the 'X' crossing last night, seemed to flow really well. I'm not sure what happens if the lights change and people are still crossing though, as that's bound to happen with so many tourists there.

    I did see a few people trying to RLJ it at rush hour, and that just didn't work with so many people X-ing.
  • TheStone
    TheStone Posts: 2,291
    Looks much better for peds. It was a mess, can't believe it took this long to sort.

    Oxford St is not good for cycling. Never seen so many empty buses in my life.
    If I was mayor, I'd ban them, leave half the bus lane for cycling and put on some
    on-demand mobility minibuses.
    exercise.png
  • Oddjob62
    Oddjob62 Posts: 1,056
    Is it finished? Went though there on Friday and all i saw were roadworks.
    As yet unnamed (Dolan Seta)
    Joelle (Focus Expert SRAM)
  • flicksta wrote:
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u-meFXuFwoE

    Look where the white van is.

    That link worked once and then died on me, this one worked better for me http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/8337341.stm

    The white van could have got stranded. But the 2 cyclists clearly RLJd - you can see them ped bothering. As for the fellow who ignored the red man and attempted to cross diagonally at the end of the sequence, he was clearly attempting to stage the first crucifixion.

    And if you listen carefully, you can hear a woman (traffic cop?) shouting out ''keep on the pavement!'' So all in all, complete chaos!
  • rich_e
    rich_e Posts: 389
    Oddjob62 wrote:
    Is it finished? Went though there on Friday and all i saw were roadworks.

    It was opened by Boris yesterday morning.