A nearly one-kilometre stretch of London’s Oxford Street began operating as a traffic-free zone on Monday, October 26, as the capital launched the first phase of a £150 million plan to revive one of Britain’s best-known shopping streets.
The section between Orchard Street near Selfridges and Great Portland Street, close to Oxford Circus, is closed to buses, taxis, private vehicles, bicycles, scooters and pedicabs from 7 a.m. until midnight each day. Deliveries are allowed overnight, while emergency services retain access. Traffic is being redirected to surrounding roads, a change that has raised concerns about congestion in nearby neighbourhoods.
Mayor Sadiq Khan says the scheme is intended to make the area more attractive to shoppers and visitors and help businesses compete with online retail and other shopping destinations. Oxford Street draws about half a million visitors daily, but several major retailers have closed in recent years as shopping habits have changed.
The initial phase is designed to make the street more accessible to pedestrians ahead of the Christmas shopping period, with limited construction planned before the holiday rush. Further improvements planned for 2027 include more than 50 trees, about 100 seats, two public squares, rest areas and clearer signage and lighting.
The project has support from city officials and some retailers, but the impact on buses, disabled access and traffic on nearby streets remains a point of debate. The success of the first section is expected to inform whether the pedestrian zone is expanded along more of Oxford Street.
Photo: Jamie Davies / Unsplash
