What needs to happen next before taxis are once again allowed access through Bank Junction?

In the wake of the recent traffic and timing review, the City of London Corporation has committed to trial a significant change at Bank Junction.

The historic intersection will soon see an experimental traffic order allowing taxis unrestricted access at all times, while other vehicles will remain restricted between 7am and 7pm, Monday to Friday. This move is part of a broader initiative to balance accessibility with congestion and environmental concerns.

The Court of Common Council’s decision on 20 June 2024 initiated the experimental phase, which involves detailed traffic modelling and design work. The next steps are crucial:

1. Traffic Modelling and Design: From June to November 2024, City officers, in collaboration with Transport for London (TfL), will continue the traffic modelling process. This includes running scenario tests to understand the implications for traffic signal timings and journey times.

2. Engagement and Consultation: Stakeholder engagement will be ongoing to gather feedback and refine the proposed traffic arrangements. A progress report is expected by November 2024, which will include a decision on the preferred routing for taxi access.

3. Final Approval and Implementation: By early 2025, the City Corporation aims to finalise the design and seek necessary approvals from TfL. If all goes according to plan, the experimental traffic order will be operational by spring 2025, running for up to 18 months to gauge its success.

The re-introduction of black cabs through Bank Junction marks a big step in the City Corporation’s efforts to modernise traffic management at one of London’s busiest junctions.