Marble Arch May be Moved Again
英國倫敦市著名的大理石拱門(Marble Arch)由於其所處的位置，現已成了倫敦最繁華的街道交叉點。因此，它有可能會被轉移到更能適合它的地方去。
After long being marooned on one of London"s busiest roundabouts, Marble Arch may be moved piece by piece to a more dignified location.
英國倫敦市著名的`大理石拱門(Marble Arch)由於其所處的位置，現已成了倫敦最繁華的街道交叉點。因此，它有可能會被轉移到更能適合它的地方去。
據《泰晤士報》2月28日報道，倫敦大理石拱門可能會被移到海德公園“演講者之角”西南方向100碼(合91.44米)遠的地方。目前，倫敦交通局、威斯敏斯區政府、英國皇家公園和格羅夫納-波特曼房地產公司正在一起致力於這項遷移計劃。
報道說，倫敦大理石高45英尺(約合13.7米)，拱門迄今已經有180年的歷史了，是約翰·納什在1827年仿照羅馬康斯坦丁拱門設計建造的。當時，它是作爲白金漢宮的主要入口。但是人們後來發現，這個門太窄了，不適合白金漢宮所舉行的各種儀式和活動。於是在1851年，它被移到了現在的位置——海德公園東北入口處。
但是，從20世紀早期開始，大理石拱門逐漸被各條道路包圍，貝斯沃特路、埃季瓦厄路、牛津大街和公園路都在大理石拱門這裏交匯;由於公園路變爲了一條6車道的公路，這一區域成爲倫敦最繁忙的地段，在交通高峯期，平均每小時就約有6000輛機動車通過。這樣一來，大理石拱門就逐漸被隔絕在了一個交通環島上;只有穿過地鐵通道才能到達拱門。
倫敦交通部水陸運輸部門官員彼得·亨迪說：“由於大理石拱門的存在，人們現在從牛津大街走到海德公園變成了一件危險的事情。”
現在，乞丐們常常會住在拱門下面。亨迪說：“拱門被隔絕在環島上，它變成了多餘和沒有意義的東西。但實際上，它是一座精美的紀念碑，應該被放在人們能欣賞和景仰它的地方。”
亨迪說，如果大理石拱門被移到“演講者之角”西南邊的話，遊人們就會很容易找到“演講者之角”，拱門就成了一個地標。倫敦交通部局熱切地希望有更多步行遊客會到牛津大街與海德公園來散步。它相信，大理石拱門將成爲倫敦中央地區面積最大的綠地——海德公園的一個宏偉入口。
After long being marooned on one of London"s busiest roundabouts, Marble Arch may be moved piece by piece to a more dignified location.
The 180-year-old arch, which can be reached only by braving a warren of dingy subways often inhabited by beggars, could be transplanted about 100 yards away southwest towards Speakers" Corner.
Transport for London (TfL), keen to improve pedestrian access between Oxford Street and Hyde Park, believes that the arch should again serve as a grand entrance to Central London"s largest green space.
It was designed by John Nash in the style of Rome"s Constantine Arch and built in 1827 as the chief entrance to Buckingham Palace.
It proved too narrow for ceremonial processions and was moved in 1851 to its present location. For the next century it served as the northeastern entrance to the park. But early last century the 45ft-high monument was surrounded by roads which gradually became more choked as Park Lane was converted into a six-lane highway.
The confluence of Bayswater Road, Edgware Road, Oxford Street and Park Lane is one of London"s busiest gyratories, used by almost 6,000 vehicles an hour at peak times.
Peter Hendy, TfL"s director of surface transport, said: "The present layout at Marble Arch is brutal for anyone trying to walk from Oxford Street to Hyde Park.
"The arch is isolated on an island which serves no real purpose. It"s a fine monument and it ought to be in a place where it can be seen and admired. It could be moved closer to Speaker"s Corner and return to being the entrance to the park. "
Mr Hendy said that it could become a landmark to help tourists to locate Speaker"s Corner. "It would be an interesting conjunction between an arch built for royalty and a place of public oratory open to everyone." Moving the arch is one of the options being considered by a working group which includes TfL, Westminster Council, the Royal Parks and the Grosvenor and Portman estates. (：夏根建)
