Overview

• London staged a one‑day ‘This is Oxford Street’ trial on 21 September, closing the 0.7‑mile stretch between Oxford Circus and Marble Arch to vehicles and turning it into a pedestrian event space.
• Following a Mayoral Decision signed on 20 September, Transport for London is now the highway authority for the central section, taking over maintenance and roadworks from Westminster’s control.
• The Mayor plans to seek Government approval to create a Mayoral Development Corporation by January 2026 to secure planning powers for the wider transformation.
• Consultations to date indicate majority backing for the concept of pedestrianisation, reported at roughly two‑thirds support, while detailed rerouting for buses, taxis and cyclists is still to be set out.
• Westminster Council has pressed for safeguards, including continued bus services east of Oxford Circus and some north‑south taxi access, as businesses cite regeneration benefits and opponents warn of traffic displacement and disabled‑access risks.