Works to pedestrianize key stretch of Oxford Street will start this summer

The changes will be a challenge for those involved in rerouting buses and taxis that already go through Oxford Street [AP Photo]

Oxford Street in London’s West End, one of the world’s most famous shopping destinations, is getting a makeover with the creation of a new pedestrianized zone that the city’s mayor hopes will revitalize its fortunes following struggles over recent decades.

In a statement yesterday, Sadiq Khan said all forms of traffic, including cyclists, will be banned from a key 0.7-mile (1.1-km) stretch of the thoroughfare, between Oxford Circus in the middle and Marble Arch to the west.

Works to pedestrianize this stretch of the 1.2-mile (1.9-km) street are expected to start in the summer, with the first traffic-free section introduced by the end of the year.

“I am delighted to be moving forward with my bold vision to transform Oxford Street into a world-leading urban space for shopping, leisure and outdoor events,” Khan said.

Oxford Street boasts around half a million visitors each day and is home to flagship stores of leading retailers Marks & Spencer and John Lewis, as well standalone destinations such as the Selfridge’s department store.

But the area — once a London must-visit for tourists like the Champs-Élysées in Paris — has declined in popularity in recent years with the rise of online shopping and new large retail complexes in and around the capital. Rising business costs, particularly rents and business rates, haven’t helped.

The mayor’s office said the plans to pedestrianize Oxford Street received “extensive support from the business community” during a consultation by Transport for London, the body that oversees the capital’s public transport.

The changes will be a challenge for those involved in rerouting buses and taxis that already go through Oxford Street or just traverse it.

“In densely developed and historic cities like London there will always be keen competition for the limited road space available, resulting in contentious political decisions as to who gets priority,” said Steve Gooding, director of motoring research charity at the RAC Foundation.

It’s been a long time coming for the Labour mayor Khan, who tried to pedestrianize part of Oxford Street in 2018. He was thwarted by the Conservative-run local authority.

To succeed with his latest plan, he obtained permission from the Labour government to establish a new Mayoral Development Corporation, which provides planning powers, while TfL took over control of the road from the council. PAN PYLAS, LONDON