Black cabs could be allowed back into Bank junction during weekdays

The junction by Bank station is now a bus and taxi only zone during weekdays

(Picture: Daily Mail)

A bid is being made to lift the ban on black taxis crossing Bank junction during weekdays.

Traffic restrictions were first imposed on the notorious seven-arm junction in May 2017 under a £1.7m scheme to address road safety concerns.

This followed the death of cyclist Ying Tao, 26, who was crushed by a left-turning HGV in 2015 as she rode to work. She was the second person killed at the junction in four years. There had also been 105 casualties, making it the most dangerous location in the Square Mile.

At least 45 members of the City of London Corporation have signed a motion calling for black cabs to regain access to the area “at all times”.

Alderman Tim Hailes, whose motion will be considered by the City’s Court of Common Council next Thursday, said he was not aiming to “undermine all the excellent work” on making Bank a more pleasant area for pedestrians and cyclists.

Mr Hailes told the Standard: “The fact of the matter, though, is not everyone is able to walk or cycle.

“Hackney carriages have an excellent safety record, their fleet is increasingly moving to zero emission and many of us regard them as a core part of the plurality of public transport.

Safety measures were brought in at Bank junction following the death of Ying Tao (pictured) (City of London Police Collect)

“For the blind, accessibility challenged or disabled they serve a vital service in permitting equality and inclusion. For women travelling later at night they also provide a trusted means of transport home.”

There are concerns that the ban has made it harder to hail a taxi in the City, while the number of licensed taxis in London has fallen by more than 4,000 in the last two years to 14,625.

The motion is backed by several prominent members of the City corporation, which consists of 100 councillors and 25 aldermen. These include former policy chairs Sir Michael Snyder and Michael Cassidy, and Commonwealth secretary-general Baroness Scotland.

However Peter Murray, a prominent architect and cycling campaigner, said the motion was “very worrying”. He said the issue was not a “battle between cyclists and taxis” but about how to create an “amazing public space in the heart of the City”.

Mr Murray told the Standard: “Surrounded by the Bank of England, Mansion House and the Royal Exchange this could be a world-class piazza.

Cars, taxis and lorries are all banned from the junction during weekdays (PA)

“Post-Covid, wellbeing is at the top of the urban agenda and pollution-free, pedestrian-friendly spaces are essential to delivering a healthier city.”

The changes at Bank, which were part-funded by Transport for London, mean that only buses and cyclists are allowed to cross the junction on weekdays between 7am and 7pm.

Cars, taxis and lorries are all banned. Thousands of drivers who have broken the rules have received a £130 penalty fine.

The scheme’s aim was to improve safety by limiting the number of vehicles passing through the junction when pedestrian and cyclist numbers were greatest.

Research by the City Corporation found the changes, which were made permanent after a 17-month trial, resulted in a “clear reduction” in road danger.

There have been no fatalities since Ms Tao’s death and no serious injuries in 2019 or 2020.

Prior to the changes there were an average of 13.6 road casualties a year. In the three years after the scheme was made permanent, this fell to 6.3 casualties a year.

In addition, there was an improvement in air quality, with lower levels of nitrogen dioxide at the junction and in surrounding streets.

If the motion – which could be subject to amendment - is passed, City corporation officers will be required to draw up plans by June to allow east-west and west-east taxi access to Bank.

However, TfL’s approval may be required before any changes can be implemented.

The motion also calls for a wider audit of all traffic restrictions across the Square Mile by September.

Critics privately regard the restrictions as a “dog’s breakfast”, some of which date to the Ring of Steel security measures introduced in response to IRA terrorism, such as the 1993 Bishopsgate bomb.

A spokeswoman for the City corporation said: “The motion will be discussed and debated in the normal way amongst elected members of the Court of Common Council.”