Parliament Square plans reviewed

The plans would have seen the lawn become more accessible

Plans to transform Parliament Square into a pedestrianised piazza are to be reviewed amid transport concerns.

The £18m project, scheduled to be ready for the London 2012 Olympics, had been given the go-ahead by former London Mayor Ken Livingstone.

A spokesman for mayor Boris Johnson said concerns that paving the area next to Westminster Abbey could lead to more traffic congestion had been raised.

But he added the idea had not been permanently shelved.

As well as closing the road in front of Westminster Abbey, the original Parliament Square improvement plan would have seen the lawn become more accessible and replaced with stone paving and benches.

'Huge complaints'

Jenny Jones, a green party member of the London Assembly said: "There were huge complaints from motorists ahead of the redesign of Trafalgar Square, but the previous mayor faced them down and got on with doing what was right for London.

"Trafalgar square was transformed from a famous monument on a traffic island, into a well used and loved public space.

"If Boris hasn't got the guts to make tough decisions, then all his talk of a beautiful London filled with trees, birds and clean air is meaningless."

A spokesman for the mayor said: "The mayor has requested further work to be carried out on the Parliament Square Improvement project before giving the go-ahead for the next stages.

"This follows concerns with the possible traffic impact, which are supported by Transport for London 's advice.

"The Mayor's Director of Transport Policy, Kulveer Ranger, has asked Transport for London to take a detailed look at the plan to see how best these concerns can be addressed."