Oxford Street pedestrianisation gets final approval
Mayor Sadiq Khan has given final approval for the pedestrianisation of Oxford Street, a major London thoroughfare. The plan, reported by BBC London, represents a significant shift in the city's urban planning and traffic management. The project aims to improve air quality and the shopping experience in one of the capital's busiest districts.
This is far from the first attempt to pedestrianise the 1.2-mile stretch of road; proposals have been floated by successive mayors, including Ken Livingstone's 2004 plan for a tram service and Boris Johnson's public realm enhancements. Sadiq Khan previously pushed for full pedestrianisation in 2016, but the plan was halted in 2018 when Westminster Council, which controls the road, withdrew its support. The current plan will initially see vehicles banned from the western section between Orchard Street (near Selfridges) and Great Portland Street (near Ikea), with traffic being permanently removed from this summer. The long-term vision is to make the entire street traffic-free, from Marble Arch to Tottenham Court Road. A permanent design for the newly pedestrianised areas, which could include al fresco dining, is expected by November 2027. Buses that currently use Oxford Street will be rerouted to parallel roads like Wigmore Street, and 15 bus routes will be curtailed or diverted. While major retailers like Selfridges and John Lewis support the move, taxi drivers have raised concerns about increased congestion and journey times in the surrounding areas. A Transport for London consultation acknowledged that some bus journeys would take longer. The project is part of a broader strategy to revitalise an area that has seen a decline in footfall, partly due to the rise of online shopping and the pandemic. The opening of the Elizabeth Line (Crossrail), with its new station at Bond Street, is seen as a "game-changer" that will bring more visitors to the area and reduce the reliance on buses. Data from a trial traffic-free day showed a 45% increase in footfall and higher sales for nearly 70% of surveyed stores. In the London tech scene, AI continues to attract major investment, with London-based AI startups raising a record $3.5 billion in VC funding in 2024, making up 32% of the city's total. This positions London as the leading AI hub in Europe. Notable B2B SaaS companies gaining traction include Synthesia, an AI video generation platform, and Codat, which provides a universal API for financial data. This week in Formula 1, teams are preparing for the first Grand Prix of the 2026 season in Melbourne. Following pre-season testing in Bahrain, Ferrari and Mercedes are emerging as the early favorites. Meanwhile, McLaren has added 26-year-old Gregoire Saucy to its driver development programme.
