A radical new plan could create a new public plaza in London's West End

"The road between Piccadilly Circus and St James's Park could be transformed into a massive public plaza and vehicles could be banned from Regent Street St James's, Waterloo Place and the south side of Piccadilly Circus. If the proposals are enacted, the pedestrianisation of certain roads would lead to more than 35,000 square metres of new public space, equivalent to more than five football pitches, created in the West End."

"Currently, Regent Street St James's is for northbound road traffic, while its neighbour, Haymarket, is for southbound road traffic. The plans would see vehicles banned from Regent Street St James and Haymarket converted into two-way traffic. Waterloo Place, just south of Pall Mall, could also be pedestrianised. The plaza is home to a number of statues and memorials, including the Florence Nightingale statue, the Guards Crimean War Memorial and the Duke of York column."

Westminster City Council and the Crown Estate propose banning vehicles from Regent Street St James's, the south side of Piccadilly Circus, and Waterloo Place, and converting Haymarket into two-way traffic. Pedestrianisation would create more than 35,000 square metres of public space—over five football pitches—in the West End. Regent Street would receive widened pavements and cycle lanes, enabled by removing the central island. Waterloo Place contains several statues and memorials, including the Florence Nightingale statue, the Guards Crimean War Memorial and the Duke of York column. Final designs by Allies and Morrison are due summer 2026, with construction expected to begin in 2029.

Read at Time Out London