Lord Sadiq Khan has been accused of “wasting taxpayer money” after spending almost £90,000 on “tacky” benches on Oxford Street.
As part of the Mayor of London’s decision to pedestrianise the iconic shopping street, Lord Khan will install more than 50 green benches along the street to “offer more places to relax”.
He hopes that removing all traffic from the area will create a “safer and more spacious place in the heart of London for everyone to enjoy”.
According to The Telegraph, each unit costs around £1,570, excluding expenses for importing the benches from Spain and installing them.
The green benches, totalling a cost of £86,000, are described by Spanish manufacturer Urbidermis as being “designed to enhance spaces”.
They add that the benches are a “tribute to the bench designed for the New York World Fair” by urban designer James Corner’s Field Operations.
The £1,570 green street seats, named Perisphere, are said to “exhibit a robust and stylish presence” and “stand out for their uniqueness”.
Only six have been installed so far, with another 50 yet to be placed along Oxford Street.
In September, members of the Oxford Street Development Corporation (OSDC) expressed “disappointment” with the Mayor’s choice of bench.
Lord Khan selected eight of the 12 board members.
Paul Swaddle, the leader of Westminster council, criticised the group for not sourcing the benches from a UK-based street furniture company.
Criticising Lord Khan, John O’Connell, Chief Executive of the TaxPayers’ Alliance, told GB News that the benches are “tacky” and a “waste” of taxpayer money.
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He said: “Spending money to make the public realm beautiful can be worthwhile, but such a large bill for tacky furniture will leave taxpayers scratching their heads.
“Those making the decisions should pay more attention to the history and heritage of the areas they are responsible for and stop wasting taxpayers’ money.”
Praising the pedestrianisation of Oxford Street, Lord Khan previously said: “It is a truly momentous occasion for the capital. I encourage everyone to explore and enjoy the newly traffic-free street, as we create a new vibrant destination that welcomes Londoners and visitors from around the world.
“The transformation will turn the nation’s high street into a world-class pedestrian space, where flagship retailers will sit alongside new shops and workplaces – and we’ll bring exciting new experiences to the street, from sport to fashion and cultural events.
“Revitalising Oxford Street will boost jobs and economic growth in the capital, unlock the full potential of this key part of the West End, and help build a better, greener and more prosperous London for everyone.”
In a statement, a Oxford Street Development Corporation spokesman said: “As part of the first stage of work to transform the street, we will be installing over 50 new benches. Whilst some are already in place, more will be positioned ahead of the Christmas shopping period, with the remainder being installed in the new year.
“The seating options for this initial stage of work on the street were considered through a thorough procurement process, with the chosen B Corp supplier selected for its high quality, robustness and sustainability.
“Oxford Street had very few places to sit and rest, so this was an important factor in the transformation project. Locations have been carefully considered to ensure flow along the busy street and also from an accessibility perspective to ensure there is somewhere to rest at regular intervals.
“A variety of seating is being provided, alongside tables that can accommodate different ways of sitting, resting and rising so that a wide range of people can feel comfortable and welcome on Oxford Street.”
A spokesman for Oxford Street Development Corporation told GB News: “With over 15,000 people passing through Oxford Street each hour, our benches need to withstand significant use, as well as accommodating a variety of seating from an accessibility perspective.
“Due to commercial confidentiality, we do not discuss the cost of individual elements of the project, but all elements of the transformation project are within the agreed budgetary guidelines with suppliers selected following a full procurement process.”
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