A key street connecting Bank and Monument junctions in Central London is to undergo 18 months of works, improving the area for pedestrians.
King William Street will be shut southbound for the entire period, with diversions yet to be communicated.
The planned works range from widening the pavements to planting more trees, and are hoped to begin this summer.
They are part of a wider three-year City of London Corporation programme to enhance the experience for those walking around the Square Mile, with locations including King Street and Threadneedle Street also involved.
Chair of the Streets and Walkways Sub-Committee, Graham Packham, said the changes will ‘create a much more accessible, pleasant and greened street’, and effectively extend the works to Bank Junction all the way down to Monument.
According to documents detailing the designs, the Corporation is planning to widen all pavements along the street by at least 1.5 metres, narrow the carriageway, add seating and rebuild all side-street entrances to prioritise people walking and wheeling.
The City is also looking to plant at least 15 trees along King William Street. During the Streets and Walkways Sub-Committee meeting earlier this week (March 19) in which the plans were approved.
Alderwoman Susan Pearson asked whether work had been done to ensure the site is suitable for all of the trees to be installed. An officer responded saying they had ‘done every possible survey we can do to ascertain the viability of those trees. The only thing we can do now is to build it’.
Key to the City’s plans are amendments intended to lay the groundwork for a green man crossing at Monument junction, to be installed by Transport for London (TfL).
The transport authority is due to consult on its own proposals for the junction following the Mayoral election, though the City of London says it has been working alongside TfL to ensure the two proposals complement one another.
According to planning documents: “The design moves the current crossing point further north so that a dropped kerb on both sides of the street is possible. These proposals will improve the current layout for people crossing this part of the street in the short to medium term with a shorter crossing distance and dropped kerbs whilst the redesign of the whole of Monument Junction by TfL is undertaken. A green pedestrian phase will be possible within the new TfL design.
“Officers have worked with TfL to design King William Street to complement the improvements at Monument junction and reduce any abortive work on the City’s road network. TfL intend to undertake public consultation on their designs for the junction later in the year.”
Officers told the committee earlier this week: “What we’re building is for TfL to literally put signals in when they come to it, and overnight we’ll get a green man crossing across the road. So we improve the crossing as it is…but it will be ready for a very quick install for TfL when they come to it.”
Questions were also asked about whether any additional traffic restrictions are planned for King William Street. Currently, between 7am and 7pm Monday to Friday, entry is limited to buses and cyclists, access to properties, taxis for drop-off and pick-up, and for loading.
Deputy Shravan Joshi specifically raised that the Court of Common Council is due to make a decision on whether to let Black Cabs once again access Bank Junction in June, and queried whether this is likely to impact the King William Street scheme. Officers confirmed there are no plans for any further restrictions, and that the design for King William Street will not be impacted by any changes to the junction at its northern end.
The committee agreed to approve the final designs for the street, with Mr Packham telling the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) following the meeting: “The City Corporation is delivering pedestrian priority schemes across the Square Mile to enhance comfort, safety and accessibility for people walking and wheeling, also helping to deliver the objectives of the Transport Strategy and Climate Action Strategy.
“King William Street will be transformed through pavement widening and tree planting to create a much more accessible, pleasant and greened street and the improvements being delivered at Bank junction will effectively be extended all the way to Monument junction, so that the two schemes can be integrated.”
King William Street southbound will be shut for the entire 18 months the works are expected to take, with northbound is to remain open other than during resurfacing. Officers told the committee diversions will be communicated in due course.
