‘EAST-WEST’ BLACK CAB ACCESS RECOMMENDED: Limited Bank Junction taxi access the preferred option for City of London
The City of London Corporation is considering how to reintroduce licensed taxis at Bank Junction during restricted hours under an Experimental Traffic Order (ETO).
The key junction has been largely closed to general traffic since 2017 to prioritise safety and ease congestion. Now, five options are under review to allow taxis partial access while maintaining safety and minimising disruption.
Option A: Limited East-West Access
This option permits taxis to enter and exit the junction via Poultry and Cornhill, with no restrictions on turning movements. This would give taxis greater freedom but increase the complexity of the junction for other users. This would allow for turns into King William Street.
Option B: Restricted East-West Corridor
The City’s recommended option, this route allows taxis to travel only between Poultry and Cornhill without any turning movements. It is said to offer a straightforward east-west connection.
The report suggests that Transport for London (TfL) has expressed initial support for this approach.
Option C: Three-Arm Access
This proposal extends taxi access to Poultry, Cornhill, and King William Street, allowing more routes across the junction. While this provides taxis with additional flexibility for passengers starting their journeys south of the junction, it also introduces more turning movements, raising the risk of collisions.
Option D: North-South Access
Option D grants taxi access to King William Street and Princes Street, replicating movements currently allowed for buses. This north-south route would cater to specific taxi journeys but is said to present significant challenges.
The increased number of turning movements and limited capacity of Princes Street could overwhelm the junction, necessitating a redesign of the recently upgraded streetscape. It also risks creating major delays for buses and pedestrians. This option has been deemed highly problematic and unlikely to proceed.
Option E: Full Access
The most expansive proposal, Option E allows taxis access via all four arms of the junction—Poultry, Cornhill, King William Street, and Princes Street—with movements identical to those permitted for buses. This would maximise taxi availability and passenger mobility.
The report suggests this option would introduce multiple turning movements and significantly increases traffic volumes, particularly on Lombard Street, which is unsuitable for through traffic. It also creates high collision risks and delays for buses and pedestrians, making it the least viable of the five proposals.
What’s Next?
The ETO process is designed to provide flexibility. If approved, the experiment will begin in late spring 2025, followed by six months of public consultation and monitoring. Key performance metrics will likely include taxi availability, pedestrian wait times, bus journey times, and collision data. The findings will inform whether the changes should become permanent.
