It follows “overwhelming support” for the plans following a public consultation
The pedestrianisation of Oxford Street has been talked about for years, and previously blocked by Westminster Council, but now it looks like it’ll finally be happening as London Mayor Sir Sadiq Khan is pressing ahead with plans as quickly as possible. The proposals had been put to a public consultation, with two in three respondents supporting the removal of traffic from the street. The £150m scheme will see the area from Great Portland Street to Orchard Street pedestrianised, creating space for outdoor events and al fresco dining.
With the opening of IKEA on Oxford Street, the area is undergoing a revival, and businesses including John Lewis and Selfridges have welcomed the pedestrianisation plans. There are those who are less enthusiastic about the scheme though, like Steve McNamara, the general secretary of the LTDA (which represents black-cab drivers), who believes removing traffic from Oxford Street will increase congestion in the city.
Now a new public consultation is underway, running until 16th January 2026, giving the public the chance to have their say on the plans that detail how traffic will be removed from that section of the street. You can do that here. The proposals include allowing service vehicles to access the traffic-free area from midnight to 7am to support local businesses; wider pedestrian crossings at the junctions where traffic would cross the pedestrianised section; rerouting buses along Wigmore Street and Henrietta Place; providing bus stops, taxi ranks and drop-off locations as close to the pedestrianised area as possible; and providing more alternative cycling routes.
Speaking about the scheme, Sadiq Khan said: “We need urgent action to give the nation’s high street a new lease of life and make it an attractive international destination once again. A reimagined Oxford Street can bring the world to London and showcase the best of London to the world, and I’m pleased that we’re now moving ahead with our exciting plans to regenerate this iconic area, backed by the vast majority of Londoners and businesses.
“These new proposals map out the potential next steps with Transport for London to make our vision of a thriving, greener Oxford Street a reality. I encourage everyone to have their say on the proposals, which would transform Oxford Street into a place Londoners and the whole country can be proud of, as we continue to build a better London for everyone.”
City Hall will deliver the plans by establishing a Mayoral Development Corporation, which will take over planning and fundraising powers from Westminster Council, which has previously opposed the street’s pedestrianisation. The public consultation ends in January, with changes likely to be implemented from 2027 onwards.
