Oxford Street Goes Car-Free

Proposals to pedestrianize Oxford Street have been debated for decades, with the first suggestions emerging in the 1960s. More recently, a 2018 plan was halted by Westminster City Council due to concerns from local residents about traffic displacement. This new approval was secured by the Mayor establishing a Mayoral Development Corporation, a move that transfers planning and highway authority from the council to the Mayor's office for the designated area. The project is estimated to cost around £150 million, with the Mayor stating it will be funded through private investment and new revenue streams rather than public money. Economists at the Greater London Authority project the transformation will increase the area's economic output by nearly £82 million a year and support an additional 781 jobs. A one-day trial in September saw footfall jump by 45% compared to the previous week, and nearly 70% of stores surveyed reported similar or higher sales than a typical Sunday. The initial phase will make the 0.7-mile stretch between Oxford Circus and Marble Arch off-limits to all traffic, including bicycles and scooters. Service and delivery vehicles will only be permitted access between midnight and 7 a.m. Works are set to begin in summer, with the first section becoming permanently traffic-free by the end of the year and a permanent design finalized by November 2027. Fifteen bus routes will be rerouted, primarily onto Wigmore Street and Henrietta Place, which run parallel to Oxford Street. Transport for London predicts this will add between 2 to 5 minutes to some bus journeys. The diversions are a key point of contention for local residents' groups, who are concerned about increased traffic and pollution on what are currently quieter residential streets. Concerns have also been raised by accessibility advocates regarding access for elderly and disabled individuals who rely on buses and taxis to visit the street. In response, the plans include new seating and rest areas, improved footways in the surrounding areas, and placing new bus stops and taxi ranks as close as possible to the pedestrianized zone. Similar pedestrianization projects in other major cities have yielded significant economic benefits. After Copenhagen's main shopping street, Strøget, was pedestrianized in 1962, businesses that initially feared a loss of customers saw sales increase by 30% within a year. In New York City, the creation of a pedestrian plaza on Pearl Street reportedly led to a 172% increase in retail sales.