A junction is where two or more roads meet.
37-563: Oxford Circus is a road junction connecting Oxford Street and Regent Street in the West End of London . It is also the entrance to Oxford Circus tube station . The junction opened in 1819 as part of the Regent Street development under John Nash , and was originally known as Regent Circus North . After the original lease expired, it was redesigned around a series of four quadrant buildings by Henry Tanner between 1913 and 1928,
74-570: A cladding steel frame and slate roofs. They have been Grade II listed since 1973. The tube station opened on 30 July 1900 when the first section of the Central line opened. A connection to the Bakerloo line opened on 10 March 1906; the station was modified below ground to accommodate this. For five years from 1963 as part of connecting the tube station to the Victoria line , the road surface
111-570: A death. These establishments could also provide large items such as coffins , a hearse and appropriate horses to draw it. Large mourning warehouses were established in many American and European cities during the 19th century. In London, these included Peter Robinson's Family and General Mourning Warehouse in Oxford Street and The London General Mourning Warehouse , established by W. C. Jay in Regent Street in 1841. In Paris,
148-565: A new settlement. Scotch Corner is an example of such a location. In the United Kingdom and other countries, the practice of giving names to junctions emerged, to help travellers find their way. Junctions took the name of a prominent nearby business or a point of interest. As of the road networks increased in density and traffic flows followed suit, managing the flow of traffic across the junction became of increasing importance, to minimize delays and improve safety. The first innovation
185-410: A right turn (across oncoming traffic) in one turn). It also allows for diagonal crossings ( pedestrian scramble ) and reduces crossing distances for pedestrians. Intersections generally must manage pedestrian as well as vehicle traffic. Pedestrian aids include crosswalks , pedestrian-directed traffic signals ("walk light") and over/ underpasses . Walk lights may be accompanied by audio signals to aid
222-565: A right turn on red, and sometimes left on red depending on the geometry of the intersection in question, possible in many cases, often without stopping. Cyclists ideally have a protected bike lane on the approach to the intersection, separated by a concrete median with splay kerbs if possible, and have a protected bike lane width of at least 2 metres if possible (one way). In the Netherlands , most one way cycle paths are at least 2.5 metres wide. Bicycle traffic can be accommodated with
259-415: A setback crossing of the pedestrians and cyclists , generally between 1.5–7 metres of setback, a forward stop bar, which allows cyclists to stop for a traffic light well ahead of motor traffic who must stop behind the crosswalk. Separate signal staging or at least an advance green for cyclists and pedestrians is used to give cyclists and pedestrians no conflicts or a head start over traffic. The design makes
296-913: Is a four-way interchange on the German autobahn network. Autobahndreieck (literally "autobahn triangle"), short form dreieck , and abbreviated as AD, is a three-way interchange on the German autobahn network. At intersections , roads cross at-grade . They also can be further subdivided into those with and without signal controls. Signalized designs include advanced stop line , bowtie , box junction , continuous-flow intersection , continuous Green-T, double-wide, hook turn , jughandle , median u-turn, Michigan left , paired, quadrant , seagulls , slip lane , split, staggered , superstreet , Texas T , Texas U-turn and turnarounds . Non-signalized designs include unsignalized variations on continuous-flow 3 and 4-leg, median u-turn and superstreet, along with Maryland T/J, roundabout and traffic circle . In
333-632: Is whether or not the roads cross at the same or different elevations . More expensive, grade-separated interchanges generally offer higher throughput at higher cost. Single-grade intersections are lower cost and lower throughput. Each main type comes in many variants. At interchanges , roads pass above or below each other, using grade separation and slip roads . The terms motorway junction and highway interchange typically refer to this layout. They can be further subdivided into those with and without signal controls. Signalized ( traffic-light controlled) interchanges include such " diamond " designs as
370-699: The European Court of Human Rights . On 26 March 2011, around 500,000 protested against government public service cuts in London. At Oxford Circus, they clashed with riot police . On Black Friday , 24 November 2017, the Oxford Circus panic broke out after a fight in Oxford Circus tube station turned into a mass stampede. The area was busy and commuters and shoppers took refuge in shops. The Metropolitan Police later announced it would stand down
407-516: The Grande Maison de Noir was established in the Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré . In the 20th century, the fashion for elaborate funerals and mourning declined. The surviving establishments, such as Hanningtons of Brighton, tended to diversify by becoming more general department stores . This Europe-related article is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . This article about
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#1732776103334444-638: The diverging diamond , Michigan urban diamond, three-level diamond , and tight diamond. Others include center-turn overpass, contraflow left, single loop, and single-point urban overpass. Non-signalized designs include the cloverleaf , contraflow left, dogbone (restricted dumbbell), double crossover merging , dumbbell (grade-separated bowtie), echelon, free-flow interchange , partial cloverleaf , raindrop , single and double roundabouts (grade-separated roundabout ), single-point urban , stack , and windmill . Autobahnkreuz (literally "autobahn cross"), short form kreuz , and abbreviated as AK,
481-643: The EU it is estimated that around 5,000 out of 26,100 people who are killed in car crashes are killed in a junction collision, in 2015, while it was around 8,000 in 2006. During the 2006–2015 decade, this means around 20% of road fatalities occur at junctions. By kind of users junctions fatalities are car users, 34%; pedestrians, 23%; motorcycle, 21%; pedal-cycle 12%; and other road users, the remaining. It has been considered that several causes might lead to fatalities; for instance: A number of features make this protected intersection much safer . A corner refuge island,
518-624: The beginning of World War I . The north-western quadrant opened in May 1922 as the London premises for the Magasins du Louvre . The store was never popular and closed in 1930. The south-western quadrant followed in 1925 and the north-eastern in 1928. The new north-eastern quadrant was originally occupied by the Peter Robinson department store. An extension to the store was added to the original quadrant building in 1924. During World War II , it
555-416: The busiest pedestrian crossings in London. In 1924, shipbuilder Alfred Yarrow proposed building a grade-separated junction to segregate traffic, paid for by his own funds. The offer was turned down by Westminster City Council. In 1935, Westminster City Council proposed fitting pedestrian guard rails at the junction, restricting crossing in order to improve safety. At the end of the 2000s, Oxford Circus had
592-539: The centre of the circus, which had to be dismantled by a JCB. In August 2019, a protest against the imprisonment of far-right extremist Tommy Robinson at the circus descended into violence. A man was arrested for actual bodily harm . [REDACTED] Media related to Oxford Circus at Wikimedia Commons Road junction Roads began as a means of linking locations of interest: towns , forts and geographic features such as river fords . Where roads met outside of an existing settlement, these junctions often led to
629-470: The circus to be colonnaded , but when the New Street Bill was proposed to parliament, it was rejected, with one MP fearing the circus would "be a nuisance by day and something worse by night". He redesigned the circus so that the new Regent Street would meet the established Oxford Street at a near right-angle, with a smaller 164-foot (50 m) diameter reducing its land intake. Parliament approved
666-552: The circus were designed in a more disciplined manner than some of Nash's later work, and were based on Palladian architecture . They featured fluted Corinthian pilasters and artificial stone capitals. The pilaster order continued down Regent Street. The circus opened officially in November 1819. It was originally known as Regent Circus North, with the corresponding Piccadilly Circus named Regent Circus South. However, unlike Piccadilly Circus, Oxford Circus had no decorations and
703-487: The design, passing the New Street Act 1813 ( 53 Geo. 3 . c. 121). Construction of the circus began in 1816, with Nash working in association with Samuel Baxter. Work was complicated by the compulsory purchase of properties along Oxford Street. Eight houses on the north side and eleven on the south were demolished to make way for the junction. To avoid legal challenges, Nash attempted to rehouse existing tenants in
740-465: The first AIR Studios recording complex there the following year, with the studio operating in this location until 1991. Through a series of buyouts and mergers, Peter Robinson became Topshop , which occupied the site until 2020, after it went into liquidation. It was the flagship store of the franchise, covering four floors and attracting around 28,000 shoppers a day, half of whom would buy something. The buildings are constructed of Portland stone with
777-574: The guard rail, adding 70% more capacity to the crossing. In February 1872, a tripartite arch made of flowers and decorated with flags was erected in the middle of Oxford Circus, to commemorate the Prince of Wales 's recovery from typhoid fever . Queen Victoria passed along the parade with the Prince to a crowd of cheering children. On 20 December 1938, 50 people took part in an unemployment protest staged in Oxford Circus. Campaigners threw themselves into
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#1732776103334814-451: The highest pedestrian volumes recorded anywhere in London. At the busiest times, over 40,000 pedestrians per hour pass through the junction, including those accessing the tube station. The average traffic flow is around 2,000 vehicles per hour during the week, and the junction operates at near capacity for most of the day with regular queues, particularly west along Oxford Street. 24 bus routes pass through Oxford Circus, and over 400 buses cross
851-708: The junction on an average weekday. There are bus stops within 200 metres (660 ft) on every arm of the crossing. In 2009, Transport for London redesigned the intersection to facilitate a pedestrian scramble . The crossing opened in November and cost around £5 million. It was inspired by street crossings in Tokyo , and opened by the Mayor of London , Boris Johnson , who called the scheme "a triumph for British engineering, Japanese innovation and good old fashioned common sense". The scheme added an additional 312 square metres (3,360 sq ft) of pedestrian space and removed
888-606: The low grade bike lanes in the roadway or higher grade and much safer protected bicycle paths that are physically separated from the roadway. In Manchester, UK, traffic engineers have designed a protected junction known as the Cycle-Optimised Signal (CYCLOPS) Junction. This design places a circulatory cycle track around the edge of the junction, with pedestrian crossing on the inside. This design allows for an all-red pedestrian / cyclist phase with reduced conflicts. Traffic signals are timed to allow cyclists to make
925-414: The new buildings around the circus wherever possible. After John Richardson, proprietor of Richardson's silk shop on 118 Oxford Street died, Nash ensured his widow and surviving family and employees were all housed in a building on the circus's north-eastern section. After the family complained and demanded changes, Nash worked with Baxter to try to accommodate them as much as possible. Most buildings around
962-543: The north-eastern of which has been used by Peter Robinson , Topshop , the BBC and the London Co-operative Society ; these are now Grade II listed buildings . Oxford Circus remains a busy junction for traffic, and a £5 million upgrade for pedestrians opened in 2009. It has also attracted attention as a place for demonstrations and protests, including several by Extinction Rebellion . The junction
999-474: The response. In April 2019, the environmental group Extinction Rebellion protested by blockading Oxford Circus. Protesters chained themselves to the road, and the Metropolitan Police drafted additional police officers to help clear the area, who helped tear down a pink boat named after the environmental activist Berta Cáceres . In October, protesters erected a giant wooden pyramid structure in
1036-445: The road shouting "We want work, we want bread", before being restrained by police. On 1 May 2001, an anti-capitalism demonstration converging on Oxford Circus broke into violence. Police attempted to contain the crowd in the circus, but 50–60 demonstrators broke free and started destroying property and set fire to a nearby shop. Along with 3,000 others, Lois Austin was kept kettled in the circus for around 7 hours. She later appealed to
1073-462: The site. The new design was awarded in October 1910 to Henry Tanner , who saw off several rival designs, and was built in stages between 1913 and 1928. Tanner's design was inspired by 18th-century French architecture, particularly that of Ange-Jacques Gabriel . Each quadrant was designed to be symmetrical with the others. The south-eastern quadrant was completed first in 1913, before work stopped at
1110-519: The visually impaired. Medians can offer pedestrian islands, allowing pedestrians to divide their crossings into a separate segment for each traffic direction, possibly with a separate signal for each. Mourning warehouse A mourning warehouse or maison de deuil was a shop which sold goods for funerals and the elaborate mourning of the Victorian era . These included dark clothing and fabric which might be required for years of wear after
1147-608: Was The London General Mourning Warehouse , commonly known as Jay's. This was founded in Regent Street in 1841 and expanded north so that it occupied all of the SW quadrant of the circus by 1880. The lease on the four quadrants around the interchange was due to expire in 1917, and it was determined they would need to be rebuilt. In 1904, the Commissioners of Woods and Forests outlined a plan to redevelop Regent Street, including Oxford Circus. In 1909, they invited proposals to redevelop
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1184-594: Was badly damaged by bombs in September 1940 but survived owing to its steel frame construction and was quickly repaired to a high standard. The BBC requisitioned part of the block and it saw significant use in overseas broadcasting during the war. It was sold to the London Co-operative Society in 1944. In 1969, the fourth floor of the Peter Robinson department store was leased by producer George Martin 's Associated Independent Recording company, which opened
1221-470: Was carried on a temporary 850-ton umbrella bridge, accommodating all four directions of travel while work continued underneath. This was dismantled on 12 April 1968. In 1976, a 20-pound (9.1 kg) bomb planted by the Provisional IRA was detected at the station and successfully defused. The station was badly damaged by fire in November 1984, but there were no fatalities. Oxford Circus is one of
1258-532: Was designed as a straightforward traffic crossing. Fellow architect James Elmes described Nash's work on the circus as giving "an air of grandeur" and "as elegant in form as it is useful in application". The current name began to be used around 1836. In 1842, the MP Joseph Hume proposed a commemorative obelisk should be constructed in the middle of the circus. Construction began in December 1842, but
1295-637: Was designed as part of John Nash 's work on Regent Street . Circuses had become popular in English architecture after George Dance the Younger had popularised them in the Minories in East London. Nash wanted to use extra land space so that vehicles could move around one another when turning, with a concave layout attracting shopkeepers and increasing the potential for land value. He originally intended
1332-589: Was quickly disrupted and abandoned after the Marylebone parish vestry realised they only had authority to clean and maintain the circus, and not to construct anything on top of it. The obelisk was eventually built in 1850 at Nunhead Cemetery to a slightly different design. In the Victorian era, mourning was elaborate and expensive. This area had mourning warehouses , selling the clothes, fabrics and accessories required for this. The most important of these
1369-521: Was to add traffic control devices, such as stop signs and traffic lights that regulated traffic flow. Next came lane controls that limited what each lane of traffic was allowed to do while crossing. Turns across oncoming traffic might be prohibited, or allowed only when oncoming and crossing traffic was stopped. This was followed by specialized junction designs that incorporated information about traffic volumes, speeds, driver intent and many other factors. The most basic distinction among junction types
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