Plans to pedestrianise London’s famous Oxford Street have been announced by the city’s mayor, Sadiq Khan.
If the plan is approved, Oxford Street will follow the example of other major shopping centres such as Times Square in New York and La Rambla in Barcelona, where car traffic has come to a complete standstill.
An earlier version of the plan to ban vehicles from the 1.2-mile (1.9-km) public road was blocked by Westminster City Council, but the new plan is backed by UK Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner.
“This plan to revitalise Oxford Street will support growth through the creation of new jobs and economic activity, whilst also providing a much-needed boost to London’s night-time economy,” said Rayner.
Half a million visitors
Oxford Street attracts half a million visitors a day, according to the mayor’s office, but many of its flagship stores, including House of Fraser and Topshop, have closed in recent years.
The region is struggling to recover from the Covid-19 pandemic, which has seen many consumers turn to e-commerce while fewer workers return to their offices after lockdowns ended.
New West End, which represents retailers on Oxford Street, highlighted how the area remains important for retail and hospitality in London.
Some retailers have welcomed the change, with John Lewis, whose flagship store has been on Oxford Street since 1864, characterising the street.“Main Street of the Nation”.
The city government did not specify how the routes of the buses that use the road in question will be configured.
Stuart Love, head of Westminster Local Council, said the council wanted more detail on how concerns from residents and shopkeepers about changes to public transport routes and access for them and customers would be addressed.