This document summarizes an urban design project to redevelop Princes Circus in London. The project team conducted surveys of public opinion, traffic and pedestrian flows, and business impacts. Their proposed solution is a partial pedestrianization of the area that includes shielding pedestrians, creating safe havens, increasing public space and seating. Looking forward, the team will further develop design proposals, complete CAD drawings and environmental assessments, and produce a final project report.

1. URBAN DESIGN
FOR SMARTER STREETS
Hamish Mackenzie (Project Leader)
Camilla Nicholson (Liaison Officer)
Athanasios Papastergiou (Media Officer)
Qinyi Chen (CAD Manager)
Bartlomiej Drazyk (Artistic Design Engineer)
Nicholas Lake (Quality Assurance Manager)
Vijesh Mehta (Traffic Engineer)
Milo McGrath (Design Engineer)
Paik Quinn Teoh (Marketing Manager)

2. Princes Circus
British
Museum
Oxford
Street City
Covent
Garden

3. Princes Circus

4. Project Objectives
Improve pedestrian experience
Reduce congestion
Achieve economic growth
Create a fresh public space in the heart of London

5. Mapping and Surveying

6. Public Opinion
Would you appreciate a development of
Would you use this as a Princes Circus to make it more
recreational space/area to relax? pedestrian friendly?
Yes No Yes No
16%
46%
54%
84%

7. Public Opinion
“I would use this space to have lunch, if it was nicer”
“I’ve been wandering around for 10 minutes looking for
somewhere to stop and sit and have lunch, I settled for
here”
“The emergency services use this route heavily, you
“These crossings are no less safe than could never completely pedestrianise it”
anywhere else in London”
“Cycling accidents happen here often”
“This space is confusing for pedestrians”
“It would be a waste of my tax dollars to do this
“This junction is too busy to be altered” development”
“it should be a chill space, and a stopping zone”

8. PERS Analysis
Qualitative assessment of site
Basis for evaluation of future
proposals

9. Results of PERS
Effective Width
3 Dropped kerbs/gradient
Maintenance
2
1
0 Obstructions
Quality of Environment -1
-2
-3
Permeability
User Conflict
Legibility
Surface Quality
Personal Security Lighting

10. Local Economic Activity

11. Business Questionnaire
Do you feel a development of Have you ever experienced or
Princes Circus would improve witnessed a road accident in Princes
business? Circus?
25%
Yes 33%
Yes
No
75% No
67%

12. Traffic and Pedestrian Flow Data
Motorized Vehicle Count Pedestrian & Cyclist Count
2 2
En En
del
l
1 del
l
1
Str Str
eet ee
t
3 3

13. Traffic Desire Lines: Trend 1
Bloomsbury St. is busier than Shaftesbury Av.
TOTAL weighted
TOTAL weighted TOTAL weighted on Bloomsbury
on Bloomsbury on Bloomsbury
TOTAL weighted
TOTAL weighted TOTAL weighted on Shaftesburyl
on Shaftesburyl on Shaftesburyl
At all times at least ¾ of all motorized
traffic is on Bloomsbury St.

14. Traffic Desire Lines: Trend 2
Easily re-routed taxis compose most of traffic
Morning Peak Afternoon Peak
Total Crossings Total Crossings
0% 1% 0% Cars
Cars
5% 10%
Motorbike/Scooter Motorbike/Scooter
23% 25%
24% London/Tfl/Taxi 10%
London/Tfl/Taxi
Bus/Coach
10% Bus/Coach
Van 13%
10%
Van
Lorry 41%
28%
Other (Slow moving Lorry
vehicle)

15. Traffic Desire Lines: Trend 3
A possible closure of lower Bloomsbury St. would affect
only 1/10 vehicles, as taxis use it only as a shortcut
En
de
ll
St
re
et
No buses are affected

16. Traffic Desire Lines: Trend 4
One way streets incompatible with users’ desires
(especially Shaftesbury St.)

17. Proposed Solution

18. Proposed Solution
Proposed Solution
Partial pedestrianisation
Shielding
Safe haven
Increased space
Increased seating
Encourage taxis to find alternative route

19. Looking Forward
WEEK 2
Completion of surveying
Completion of Full CAD Drawings
Production of in-depth Baseline Report
Development of broad design proposals

20. Looking Forward
WEEK 3
Development of design proposals
Completion of Full CAD Drawings of Proposals
Environmental Appraisal
Setting out of Project Report

21. Looking Forward
WEEK 4 WEEK 5
Completion of full CAD Full Project Report Editing
drawings of Final Design
Presentation Preparation
Proposal Reviews
Project Review
Design Conclusions
Cost-Benefit Analysis

22. URBAN DESIGN
FOR SMARTER STREETS
Thank you for listening,
and we welcome any questions