'Let's hope it was not life-critical': Moment ambulance 'wastes time' stopping at new Oxford Street barriers

London transport bosses have been urged to find an “urgent solution” after video showed an ambulance being held up at the barriers to Oxford Street’s newly-pedestrianised zone.The scheme, introduced just over a week ago, is meant to allow emergency vehicles to access the busy shopping street at all times, while all other traffic, including buses, taxis, cars and pedicabs, must use alternative routes.But footage published by deputy leader of Westminster City Councillor, Tim Barnes, appears to show an ambulance with flashing blue lights stopping at the entrance to the pedestrianised section, where red barriers remain in place.In the video, marshals approach the ambulance and appear to speak to paramedics before it is seen travelling along Regent Street.TfL denies that the ambulance was prevented from entering the zone, saying the crew had stopped to ask for directions to Old Cavendish Street, where John Lewis is based.According to TfL, staff lowered the barrier to allow the ambulance through and radioed ahead to marshals stationed at the Old Cavendish Street barriers, which had also been lowered before the vehicle arrived.TfL maintains that emergency vehicles have unrestricted access under the scheme and that this was the case on this occasion.But Cllr Barnes says the barrier arrangements risk causing unnecessary delays for emergency services. He said a crucial one minute may have been “wasted”, adding: “Let’s hope it was not life-critical.”The ambulance pauses behind the bollards on Regent StreetCllr Tim BarnesCllr Barnes claimed that barriers intended to be lowered for blue-light vehicles had been padlocked, making access “slow and difficult”.“The new black and white, lightweight, bollards along Regent Street […] make approaching the main barriers harder now, too,” he told The Standard. Read More“I saw another ambulance incident last week when paramedics were trying to attend to a woman who was lying on Oxford Street itself. They were also unable to get through the barriers and so they just parked up at one of the south-bound crossings further down the street and then ran over to her.”The footage has raised questions about how smoothly emergency access is working under the new arrangements.“These issues need urgent resolution. There are few things that are more fundamental than making sure people are - and feel they are - safe,” Cllr Barnes said.