Cars are banned from Bank junction as of today

Good news for cyclists (but bad news for drivers) as a traffic ban kicks in at Bank junction from today (May 22). The Bank on Safety experimental safety scheme will see Bank junction closed to all vehicles except buses and cyclists between 7am and 7pm, Monday to Friday.

According to the City of London, 75 percent of all collisions in Bank occur within these hours. The 18-month scheme aims to restrict the number of vehicles crossing Bank junction during the working day in order to reduce collisions – the City of London estimates that there will be a reduction in casualties of between 50 and 60 percent.

Naturally, cyclists are welcoming the news. Stop Killing Cyclists organised a flashmob at 6.45am this morning to honour the memory of cyclist Ying Tao, who was killed at Bank junction nearly two years ago, and to celebrate the launch of the new cycle-friendly scheme.

Photo: David Bank/Flickr

In other news, black cabs, buses and bikes could be getting banned from Oxford Street.