Bank Junction taxi East-West access a ‘big and symbolic win’ says LTDA Chairman
A new chapter in the long-running Bank Junction saga is set to begin in 2025 as licensed taxis prepare to gain a long-sought East-West route through the iconic City of London crossroads.
The City of London Corporation recently announced plans for an experimental traffic order which will be introduced in Spring 2025, granting taxis access to the junction at all times. This move follows the Corporation’s decision in June to trial taxi access, a significant departure from the current restrictions that have barred all but buses and cyclists from the area since 2017 during weekday hours.
Paul Brennan, Chairman of the Licensed Taxi Drivers’ Association (LTDA), commented in TAXI Magazine that the proposal represents a step forward for the trade. Brennan acknowledged that while the solution does not provide unrestricted access, it is a “big and symbolic win” that will enable better service to key locations such as Poultry, Cornhill, and The Ned.
Transport officers at the City Corporation have been tasked with developing the experimental traffic order, which aims to strike a balance between improving accessibility and preserving the pedestrian-focused improvements implemented at the junction over the past decade. Other vehicles, including private hire services, will remain restricted during peak weekday hours.
Since 2015, Bank Junction has undergone a dramatic transformation, including the pedestrianisation of Threadneedle Street and measures to simplify traffic flows. These changes are part of a broader strategy to reduce casualties, ease pedestrian congestion, and improve air quality, while reimagining the area as a destination rather than a transit corridor.
Paul Brennan said in TAXI Magazine: “The officers are recommending an option which would give taxis access to an East/ West West/ East route through the junction, allowing access and egress from Poultry and Cornhill.
“With all the changes that have happened at Bank since 2015, including pedestrianising Threadneedle Street, and the money that has been spent on them, at this point, it was only really going to be possible to create an East-West route for taxis, without ripping everything out and starting again that is. So, it’s been clear for some time that this is the route we would be given, if any, which is why we support it.
“The fact is this will make a positive difference and will go some way to addressing the damage done by the restrictions and ensuring taxis can better service the City of London and key locations like the Ned. Yes, this isn’t the total unfettered access we want and need to do our jobs, but we are where we are, and it would still be a big and symbolic win for the trade in the fight for access.”
