London’s famous shopping street will close to traffic between Selfridges and Oxford Circus from 26 October. Mayor Sadiq Khan’s plans include new seating areas and pocket parks, but residents and taxi drivers warn of disruption and increased congestion on surrounding roads.
Oxford Street is set for a major transformation as London begins the first phase of a project to turn part of the busy shopping thoroughfare into a pedestrian zone. From Monday, 26 October, cars, buses, taxis and bicycles will be prohibited along the roughly one-kilometre stretch between Selfridges department store and Oxford Circus.
The scheme aims to reshape one of the capital’s best-known commercial streets, which has long served as both a major shopping destination and an important transport route.
Plans include benches, small parks and spaces where visitors can rest and meet friends. Mayor Sadiq Khan hopes the changes will restore Oxford Street’s appeal to Londoners, many of whom have increasingly avoided the area because of its crowds, congestion and abundance of tourist-oriented shops.
An attempt to restore Oxford Street’s former appeal
Oxford Street attracts an estimated 120 million visitors a year to its shops, including Selfridges and John Lewis. Yet the street’s reputation as a favourite destination for Londoners has suffered amid heavy footfall and changes to its retail landscape.
Its history remains closely associated with defining moments in British popular culture, from the early days of the Beatles to the punk movement and the miniskirt revolution of Swinging London.
Scott Parsons, director of the project, hopes the pedestrianisation scheme will bring the street closer to its former glory and re-establish it as one of the city’s most desirable destinations.
Some familiar landmarks have disappeared over the years. Topshop, once a popular stop for fashion-conscious young shoppers on a budget in the 1960s and 1970s, has been replaced by an IKEA store. Other cultural institutions, including the 100 Club and nearby Carnaby Street, continue to preserve part of the area’s distinctive identity.
Residents and taxi drivers raise concerns
While retailers have broadly welcomed the plans, opposition has emerged among residents in neighbouring areas, including Marylebone, as well as London’s taxi drivers.
Critics fear that closing the street to traffic will divert vehicles onto surrounding roads, increasing congestion and creating new difficulties for local residents and businesses.
Paul Brennan, president of a taxi drivers’ association, argued that the changes would do little to support the industry. He also compared the project to what he described as similarly self-promotional initiatives by previous mayors, citing Boris Johnson’s proposed Garden Bridge, which was ultimately abandoned.
The debate highlights the challenge facing London as it seeks to revitalise one of its most recognisable shopping destinations while balancing the interests of retailers, residents, transport operators and visitors.
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