Khan Moves to Pedestrianise Oxford Street After Trial Shows Shopper Uplift

Overview

• Mayor Sadiq Khan said he will advance plans to make the central stretch of Oxford Street traffic-free following the 21 September pilot.
• A New West End Company survey reported higher sales at most responding stores and a 45% rise in footfall, though only 12 Oxford Street shops replied and 21 responses were counted across nearby streets.
• TfL data showed Tube entries at Oxford Circus, Bond Street and Marble Arch were about 25% higher than the previous Sunday and the same Sunday a year earlier, with a small reduction in bus passengers due to curtailed routes.
• TfL, now the highway authority for the street, will consult with Westminster City Council and stakeholders on bus rerouting, deliveries and access for disabled people.
• TfL commissioner Andy Lord said there is no firm date yet, but the team aims to move quickly and maintain a fully accessible, reliable bus network as pedestrianisation plans take shape.