http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/8337341.stm

Europe's busiest diagonal crossing has opened in central London's
Oxford Circus.

Based on crossings in Tokyo, the new design stops traffic in all
directions, allowing shoppers to cross diagonally in an "X" as well as
straight ahead.

The £5m junction is able to handle double the number of pedestrians
and ease overcrowding at the busy intersection.

London Mayor Boris Johnson unveiled the crossing by striking a cymbal.

'Head scratching'

In homage to its Far Eastern inspiration, Mr Johnson struck a two-
metre high cymbal as Japanese musicians played taiko drums.

A giant X, in the form of 60m (196ft) of red ribbon was also unfurled
by devotees of cult Japanese Manga characters dressed in colourful
costumes.

Mr Johnson said the crossing, controlled by traffic lights, was "a
triumph for British engineering, Japanese innovation and good old
fashioned common sense".


Easier access to Oxford Circus Tube station will benefit many
thousands of passengers who use the station each day
Peter Hendy, London's Transport Commissioner

"The head scratching frustration caused by the previous design is over
and we've brought one of the world's greatest crossroads into the
twenty-first century," he added.

Oxford Circus is one of the most popular destinations in the world,
with more than 200 million visitors a year.

Street clutter and barriers at the junction of Oxford Street and
Regent Street have been removed, giving shoppers and workers that
visit annually around 70% more freedom to move.

As part of the works, more than 500m (1,640ft) of both Regent Street
and Oxford Street are being redesigned with wider pavements and new
lighting.

The redesign doubles the amount of pavement and creates more space
around the exits to Oxford Circus Tube station.

"Easier access to Oxford Circus Tube station will benefit many
thousands of passengers who use the station each day," said London's
Transport Commissioner Peter Hendy.

The revamped crossing reopens in time for the switching on of the
Regent Street and Oxford Street Christmas lights on 3 November.

 - - - - - - - - - - - -

Had no-one ever thought about an X - crossing before now? In a country
of 60 million inhabitants (and growing at an alarming rate), not *one*
traffic designer thought about crossing diagonally? Don't our British
universities offer courses in traffic management?

McKevvy

On Nov 2, 11:00 am, Vicko Zoomba  wrote:
> http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/8337341.stm
>
> Europe's busiest diagonal crossing has opened in central London's
> Oxford Circus.
>
> Based on crossings in Tokyo, the new design stops traffic in all
> directions, allowing shoppers to cross diagonally in an "X" as well as
> straight ahead.
>
> The £5m junction is able to handle double the number of pedestrians
> and ease overcrowding at the busy intersection.
>
> London Mayor Boris Johnson unveiled the crossing by striking a cymbal.
>
> 'Head scratching'
>
> In homage to its Far Eastern inspiration, Mr Johnson struck a two-
> metre high cymbal as Japanese musicians played taiko drums.
>
> A giant X, in the form of 60m (196ft) of red ribbon was also unfurled
> by devotees of cult Japanese Manga characters dressed in colourful
> costumes.
>
> Mr Johnson said the crossing, controlled by traffic lights, was "a
> triumph for British engineering, Japanese innovation and good old
> fashioned common sense".
>
> Easier access to Oxford Circus Tube station will benefit many
> thousands of passengers who use the station each day
> Peter Hendy, London's Transport Commissioner
>
> "The head scratching frustration caused by the previous design is over
> and we've brought one of the world's greatest crossroads into the
> twenty-first century," he added.
>
> Oxford Circus is one of the most popular destinations in the world,
> with more than 200 million visitors a year.
>
> Street clutter and barriers at the junction of Oxford Street and
> Regent Street have been removed, giving shoppers and workers that
> visit annually around 70% more freedom to move.
>
> As part of the works, more than 500m (1,640ft) of both Regent Street
> and Oxford Street are being redesigned with wider pavements and new
> lighting.
>
> The redesign doubles the amount of pavement and creates more space
> around the exits to Oxford Circus Tube station.
>
> "Easier access to Oxford Circus Tube station will benefit many
> thousands of passengers who use the station each day," said London's
> Transport Commissioner Peter Hendy.
>
> The revamped crossing reopens in time for the switching on of the
> Regent Street and Oxford Street Christmas lights on 3 November.
>
>  - - - - - - - - - - - -
>
> Had no-one ever thought about an X - crossing before now? In a country
> of 60 million inhabitants (and growing at an alarming rate), not *one*
> traffic designer thought about crossing diagonally? Don't our British
> universities offer courses in traffic management?
>
> McKevvy

Do British Universities offer courses in anything useful anymore?

On 2 Nov, 13:58, Paul McCock  wrote:
> On Nov 2, 11:00 am, Vicko Zoomba  wrote:
>
>
>
> >http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/8337341.stm
>
> > Europe's busiest diagonal crossing has opened in central London's
> > Oxford Circus.
>
> > Based on crossings in Tokyo, the new design stops traffic in all
> > directions, allowing shoppers to cross diagonally in an "X" as well as
> > straight ahead.
>
> > The £5m junction is able to handle double the number of pedestrians
> > and ease overcrowding at the busy intersection.
>
> > London Mayor Boris Johnson unveiled the crossing by striking a cymbal.
>
> > 'Head scratching'
>
> > In homage to its Far Eastern inspiration, Mr Johnson struck a two-
> > metre high cymbal as Japanese musicians played taiko drums.
>
> > A giant X, in the form of 60m (196ft) of red ribbon was also unfurled
> > by devotees of cult Japanese Manga characters dressed in colourful
> > costumes.
>
> > Mr Johnson said the crossing, controlled by traffic lights, was "a
> > triumph for British engineering, Japanese innovation and good old
> > fashioned common sense".
>
> > Easier access to Oxford Circus Tube station will benefit many
> > thousands of passengers who use the station each day
> > Peter Hendy, London's Transport Commissioner
>
> > "The head scratching frustration caused by the previous design is over
> > and we've brought one of the world's greatest crossroads into the
> > twenty-first century," he added.
>
> > Oxford Circus is one of the most popular destinations in the world,
> > with more than 200 million visitors a year.
>
> > Street clutter and barriers at the junction of Oxford Street and
> > Regent Street have been removed, giving shoppers and workers that
> > visit annually around 70% more freedom to move.
>
> > As part of the works, more than 500m (1,640ft) of both Regent Street
> > and Oxford Street are being redesigned with wider pavements and new
> > lighting.
>
> > The redesign doubles the amount of pavement and creates more space
> > around the exits to Oxford Circus Tube station.
>
> > "Easier access to Oxford Circus Tube station will benefit many
> > thousands of passengers who use the station each day," said London's
> > Transport Commissioner Peter Hendy.
>
> > The revamped crossing reopens in time for the switching on of the
> > Regent Street and Oxford Street Christmas lights on 3 November.
>
> >  - - - - - - - - - - - -
>
> > Had no-one ever thought about an X - crossing before now? In a country
> > of 60 million inhabitants (and growing at an alarming rate), not *one*
> > traffic designer thought about crossing diagonally? Don't our British
> > universities offer courses in traffic management?
>
> > McKevvy
>
> Do British Universities offer courses in anything useful anymore?

Not sure. I did see an college advert reportedly for a course in the
Spice Girls when they were around. Maybe theyre just as good as
traffic management. Or better.

McKevvy