Regent Street Transformation: Creating a Traffic-Free Green Corridor in Central London

TopoCrew Team
3 days ago
3 min read

Updated: 3 days ago

The project, led by Westminster City Council and The Crown Estate, is set to transform one of London’s most iconic streets into a vibrant, pedestrian-friendly green corridor. To support this vision, WSP relied on TopoCrew’s detailed survey data for accurate planning of infrastructure, pedestrian zones and public amenities along the route.

Project Snapshot

Client: WSP

Project Type: Topographical Survey, 3D Laser Scanning

Sector: Highway Construction (Transport & Civil Engineering)

Location: Westminster, London

Surveying Accuracy: up to 2 mm

Technology Used: NavVis VLX, NavVis MLX & Trimble MX50 (Mobile Laser Scanners); Leica RTC360 (Static Laser Scanner); Leica TS15 & GS15 (Robotic Total Station & GNSS)

Survey Area: 128,111 sq. metres

Objectives

TopoCrew was commissioned to undertake a detailed topographical survey of Regent Street, one of London’s most prestigious and recognisable locations. The project covered 128,000 square metres, incorporating key landmark locations such as Waterloo Place, Piccadilly Circus and Oxford Circus.

Given the scale and prominence of the area, the survey required a carefully structured approach to deliver accurate results while ensuring minimal disruption in one of the capital’s busiest urban environments.

Preparation

As part of TopoCrew’s proven methodology, a strong control framework was the foundation of the project. Our surveying team established a closed loop traverse comprising 410 survey stations, spanning over 8 km of roadway. This provided a consistent and reliable reference network against which all subsequent survey data could be validated.

Challenges and Solutions

The dense urban environment of Regent Street presented a significant challenge, particularly in relation to GNSS reliability. As anticipated, our surveyors detected minor vertical shifts in sections of the mobile scan data due to the surrounding tall buildings.

To address this, Total Station observations were carried out approximately every 10-15 metres along the roadway, enabling reliable evaluation and adjustment of the extracted data. This ensured positional accuracy and consistency across the entire survey network.

*Section of Waterloo Place's central area*

For comprehensive coverage, we deployed a hybrid suite of instruments and methods tailored to the unique requirements of the Regent Street project.

Mobile laser scanning using the Trimble MX50 allowed rapid data capture along the roadway
SLAM (Simultaneous Localization and Mapping Scanning) with the advanced NavVis VLX and MLX laser scanners enabled efficient surveying of pedestrian areas and restricted spaces.
Static terrestrial laser scanning with the Leica RTC360 for wide open areas.

Accuracy remained our priority throughout the survey. Our surveying team used Leica Total Stations for verification, control checks and spot surveys to ensure that the scan data consistently aligned with the traverse framework.

After our GIS/CAD team prepared the deliverables, our site team conducted a final site visit to verify the data and ensure its accuracy. This thorough QA process ensured that all deliverables met the highest standards of data integrity and quality for the client.

Results and Project Impact

TopoCrew delivered a highly detailed and accurate topographical drawing of Regent Street, prepared to the highest standards and to specification. By integrating multiple scanning methodologies with rigorous control and verification, we were able to balance efficiency, safety and accuracy in one of London’s most complex urban environments.