The pedestrian crossing outside Baker Street tube station, currently a congested mess is about to get a makeover.
As part of a wider plan to revamp the streets running from Baker Street station down to Oxford Street to make them more pedestrian-friendly, there will also be works on the street directly outside the station.
Despite the presence of the underpass under the road, most people tend to cross above ground. There were plans back in 2008 to do away with the cluster of shops outside the entrance and build a much more obvious entrance to the underpass, which was tied to plans to improve platform access to the Met/Circle line platforms below. Those plans were put on hold.
As the underpass is to remain untouched, the surface will instead be revamped.
| Before | After |
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It would also be a vast improvement to do away with the small triangular block of two shops, as had been originally planned, and open up the entire area outside the tube station — but that would cost more.
A consultation document is here
They should move the tour busses down to Madame Tussaud’s (100 yards) and create a proper public space outside Baker Street Station.
No bike stopping area? Not that I care about cyclists, but that seems odd to me.
Wider clearer crossing are always welcome.
Clearing away that triangle of shops and moving the tourist buses somewhere else to make a nice large space also makes sense. But heaven forbid the loss of revenue…
So a wider crossing. That’s it?
The underpass would be used more if it actually connected with the station. More space needed for tour buses and people waiting to join them. The Sherlock Holmes statue should be taken off its plinth to make better photographs for everyone!