Current activities and concepts

Formosa Street Public Realm

Westminster City Council invites you to take part in our early engagement on potential pedestrianisation of the short section of Formosa Street between Warrington Crescent and Castellain Road. The work follows an e-petition submitted to the council supported by 365 signatures, asking the council to consider pedestrianising this part of the street to "enhance the enjoyment of the local community and visitors by creating a safe and social space for people to mix in and enhance what is already a valuable asset." 

The engagement period forms the first step in assessing opportunities for pedestrianisation and understanding if this would be beneficial for the local community. 

About the project

We are at the early stages of an assessment to understand how this area of Formosa Street could be improved. A traffic study is underway as of December 2025 that will gather information on the use of the road including:

• Traffic movements and flows
• Traffic speeds and vehicle classifications
• Kerbside loading activity and parking occupancy on the street and wider area on Castellain Road and Warrington Crescent

Alongside the traffic study, this public engagement will:

• Understand aspirations for the street and what improvements people would like to see
• Understand how the space is currently used and identify accessibility, servicing needs
• Assess opportunities to create a high-quality, people-friendly pubic space 
• Be used for any future design that supports local economic activity and aligns with our Transport Policy and Fairer Westminster priorities

Two simple sketches have been drafted at this stage to provide you with potential outline outcomes for Formosa Street. These are not set designs but are indicative only and intended as a guide on two potential outcomes, to gather your feedback and help shape what could be taken forward.

Concept 1 – Full closure between Castellain Road and Warrington Crescent. Under this scenario, typical characteristics include:

• Fully closes a short section of Formosa Street to all through traffic by using strategically placed street furniture at both sides of the street. 
• Emergency access only via demountable bollards
• Loading and servicing would need to be via loading bays at side streets
• Opportunity for ‘place making’, providing both residents and passing pedestrians the opportunity to utilise the space without vehicle conflict 
• Maximum opportunity for new paving, benches, planting and trees (subject to ground surveys)
• More opportunity for ‘al fresco’ dining tables and chairs (subject to Pavement License applications)
• Visitor (Pay by Phone) parking would be removed and any reallocation of parking bays would need to be in adjacent streets, most likely replacing existing parking

Concept 2 - A timed entry restriction with a permanent eastbound only arrangement (note this could be reversed to be westbound). Under this scenario, typical characteristics include:

• Restricts through traffic movement to (for example) an eastbound direction only
• A timed closure could operate across key periods of the day, removing traffic from the street during operational hours
• An example Pedestrian Zone sign has been provided (with hours of access undecided)
• Carriageway narrowed to one lane and footway pavement widened on both sides, helping to introduce a quieter and more pedestrian friendly environment with increased footway space
• The road could be at the same level (flush) with the footway
• Three example loading bays are provided for servicing during permitted hours
• Some opportunity for benches, planting and trees (subject to ground surveys).
• Bollards to protect the footway from vehicular traffic.
• Visitor (Pay by Phone) parking is unlikely to be retained under this scenario and any relocation of parking bays would need to be in adjacent streets, most likely replacing existing parking 
• Opportunity for Pavement Licenses for ‘al fresco’ tables and chairs (subject to license applications) would be more limited than under a full closure