MP wants US Embassy road closures

The MP said security services are ignoring the needs of residents

An MP wants a traffic-free zone around the US Embassy to protect residents from any possible terrorist attack.

Mark Field, MP for Cities of London and Westminster, wants more protection for people living near Grosvenor Square.

Smaller roads at the back of the consulate are closed but bigger streets are only shut when there is an increased threat to the building.

In July, residents took out an advert in The Times saying they are being sacrificed as "collateral damage".

"For many of the residents in my constituency, their homes represent a totally undefended front line in this country's war against terrorism," the MP will say in a debate at Westminster Hall on Tuesday.

Terrorist targets

"The reason is plain. The Home Office, the Metropolitan Police, Transport for London have sought to protect the US Embassy from a terrorist bomb attack while ignoring the needs and wishes of local residents."

Smaller roads at the back of the Embassy including Blackburne's Mews and Culross Street are now being closed.

But the main roads of Upper Brook Street and Upper Grosvenor Street remain open except when police choose to enforce closures as a result of increased danger to the Embassy.

Scotland Yard said only closures considered absolutely necessary were put in place so traffic could flow as freely as possible.

Westminster Council added that security measures were agreed by security services.

Grosvenor Square Safety Group's two-page advert read: "To this day, it remains unacceptable that Westminster City Council, the Metropolitan Police, the UK Security Services and UK Home Office should put a politicised perceived need to move traffic above that of the lives of embassy and personnel residents.

"A democratic country like the UK cannot adopt a very forward policy in fighting terrorism abroad, while at the same time leaving its citizens and residents, some of whom are American, exposed around top terrorist targets at home."