Pedestrian Priority Streets Programme
The City of London Corporation is improving the comfort and safety of people walking in the Square Mile. To make more space for people walking and reduce crowding, we need to restrict access for motorised traffic on some streets in order to make pavements wider.
In summer 2020, we began providing more space for pedestrians to enable social distancing. These temporary traffic changes have now been made permanent and we are in the process of undertaking public realm enhancement works to complement the traffic changes.
Cheapside (east of Bread Street)
On 4 February 2025, the City Corporation agreed to make the experimental traffic order permanent, which allows taxis through the point restriction on Cheapside in order to improve access and the availability of taxis in the area. Further public realm enhancements are due to start in spring 2026.
Attached at the bottom of this webpage are the latest scheme visualisations showing what the area will look like once the scheme is completed.
Threadneedle Street and Old Broad Street (south)
Threadneedle Street and Old Broad Street up to Throgmorton Street will be transformed through the reallocation of road space, to provide more space on the pavement for people walking and wheeling whilst continuing to allow cycling in both directions. Additionally, these works will complement the public realm and transportation improvements delivered by the All Change at Bank scheme.
The latest project design is attached at the bottom of this webpage and construction is due to start in early Summer 2026. More details can be found in the Streets & Walkways Sub-Committee report from 16 September 2025.
Old Jewry
On 9 December 2025, the City’s Streets & Walkways Sub-Committee resolved to make the experimental traffic order on Old Jewry permanent. The street will remain open to all traffic southbound, with contraflow cycling in the northbound direction. At the junction with Cheapside & Poultry, only cycles and taxis are able to turn left into Poultry, with all other traffic requiring to turn right into Cheapside.
King William Street - Now complete
Phase 1 of King William Street’s transformational scheme is now substantially complete. More details can be found on the King William Street Pedestrian Priority webpage.
Chancery Lane - Now complete
Restricting vehicles from travelling northbound above the junction with Carey Street between 7am and 7pm, Monday to Friday, except taxis and vehicles requiring access to properties, parking or loading facilities in Chancery Lane. The experimental traffic order became permanent on 16 August 2024.
King Street - Now complete
The King Street scheme is complete, which includes retaining the one-way direction northbound for motorised traffic and two-way direction for cycling from the previous traffic experiment. In addition, the footway was widened for people walking on both sides of the street at various locations.
- Provide an improved walking environment that provides adequate space for pedestrians which, along with improving the quality of the City streets and public realm, contributes to the continued success of the Square Mile as a global centre for business, place to live and visitor destination.
- Improve the safety of pedestrians by reducing conflicts with vehicles and making streets easier to cross.
- Create a more accessible Square Mile where everyone will feel more able and confident to walk on City streets
- Reduce the exposure of pedestrians to air pollution and contributing to overall emission reductions in the City.
- Introduce public realm enhancements to improve the look and feel of the City and introduce greening and seating where appropriate.
If you have any enquiries, contact the Pedestrian Priority Team.
