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A ban on lorries, cars and taxis at one of London's most notorious junctions could be made permanent.

The City of London Corporation said the number of casualties at Bank Junction had fallen by half during an 18-month trial of the restrictions.

The ban on traffic was introduced in May last year, and covered Monday to Friday between 7am and 7pm.

It was a response to the death of cyclist Ying Tao, 26, who was crushed at the junction by a left-turning HGV in 2015.

Chris Hayward, Chairman of the City of London Corporation’s planning and transportation committee, said: "Our number one priority for the experimental scheme at Bank junction is to improve safety.

"I am delighted to see the scheme succeed in reducing collisions and improving air quality. A busy junction used by 18,000 pedestrians every hour at rush hour; it has been a pleasure to see members of the public truly begin to enjoy this iconic area."

Three quarters of the 4,2000 respondents to a consultation on the scheme said they supported it in some form, though 29 per cent of those said they would like to see some changes.

The traffic ban has been welcomed by cyclists but criticised by taxi drivers.

The City of London is due to consider making the scheme permanent from next week.

Drivers who flout the ban are sent £130 fines. More than 100,000 fines were issued in the first four months.

The six-lane junction beside the Bank of England was the worst location in the City for road casualties. Between 2012-16 there were 107 casualties, including two fatalities. In the first six months of the scheme six crashes were recorded, all but one involving cyclists, with one pedestrian seriously hurt.