Westminster City Council has called for Transport for London (TfL) to carry out a full environmental impact assessment on traffic, noise and air quality for the pedestrianisation of Oxford Street.

The council voiced concerns to central government that the scheme was being rushed ‘without standard checks' as TfL – acting on behalf of the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan – asked the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) to forgo the need for a full impact assessment.

In response to this, Westminster wrote to both the MHCLG and TfL to warn that proceeding without considering the potential impact of the scheme ‘will have a detrimental impact on residents, businesses and visitors alike'.

It argued that the Mayor's ‘narrow focus on Oxford Street' ignores the ‘much wider negative impact' the scheme could have ‘across central London', including displaced traffic, increased noise disturbance and pollution.

Cllr Tim Barnes, deputy leader of Westminster City Council, said: ‘Our position on pedestrianisation is simple: if you must do it, get it right. A needlessly rushed scheme will be a disaster for residents and worse for business. This scheme will have an impact way beyond Oxford Street, affecting bus routes and traffic flow right across the capital.

‘The Mayor has important questions to answer about managing traffic, noise, impact on air quality or how to clean the roads. The consequences of getting this wrong are potentially terrible for central London. London deserves a world class shopping district at its centre and instead we're headed for an unmanaged mess with noisy, gridlocked roads, poor air quality and waste in the streets.

‘Why won't the Mayor work with the council to make his scheme a long-term success? The Mayor is trying to cut corners when it comes to ensuring this plan is safe for Londoners.'

When approached by Highways, a spokesperson for TfL said: ‘In accordance with the legal requirements, we have submitted an Environmental Impact Assessment Screening Opinion to the MHCLG and are awaiting the outcome. This will determine whether a full Environmental Impact Assessment is required and will influence when the transformation works begin.'