The famous West End street has gone traffic-free as part of wider plans to transform the area into a mixed-use destination combining retail, generation workplaces, leisure, culture and hospitality.
Almost a kilometre of the London high street between Orchard Street and Great Portland Street has become traffic free, with plans to transform the area to help boost business.
New outdoor dining areas as well as two public squares are expected to have been created by the end of spring 2027, as well as the planting of more than 50 trees.
“I’m hugely excited to see my bold vision for Oxford Street coming to life from today,” says London Mayor Sadiq Khan. “It is a truly momentous occasion for the capital. I encourage everyone to explore and enjoy the newly traffic-free street, as we create a new vibrant destination that welcomes Londoners and visitors from around the world.”
“For centuries, Oxford Street has reinvented itself, adapting to changing times and helping shape British culture along the way. There has been talk of pedestrianising Oxford Street for decades. After so many false dawns, and now working with a government who share the scale of my ambition, I’m proud that we’re finally unlocking a new era for the street.”
Dan Parr, senior vice president at CACI, and chair of Revo, the membership organisation that represents more than 6,300 retail and leisure locations in the UK, welcomed the move as an opportunity for businesses.
“The pedestrianisation of Oxford Street is a very welcome initiative that will make one of the most famous shopping streets in the world easier to enjoy. That can only be a good thing as it will ultimately increase footfall and spend for businesses in the area,” he says.
“Retail and leisure destinations need to make bold decisions like this to ensure they remain relevant and appealing to consumers in an age of almost limitless choice. By becoming traffic-free, Oxford Street has levelled the playing field with the other great locations in the capital, creating a better place and experience, and reprioritising the location as a ‘must have’ for brands on a global scale.
“That the various stakeholders have worked together so effectively to overcome some major challenges to make this happen is also to be applauded, and serves as a great example to high streets, towns and cities across the UK as to what is possible.”
UKHospitality (UKH) has previously supported the proposed development and pedestrianisation of Oxford Street, saying that hospitality was crucial to plans to bring the new area to life. Last year UKH chief executive Kate Nicholls and Julie Gingell, managing director of Docklands Restaurants and Bars and Chair of UKHospitality’s London group, jointly wrote to Transport for London, as part of the Greater London Authority, to back the plans.
“It is our belief that for this to be successful it is imperative that hospitality is used to animate the new pedestrianised area,” they wrote.
“When we talk of healthy, successful high streets, one important measure is the diversity created by a mix of hospitality, leisure and retail. All of these are important, and all work together.
“A mix of hospitality, retail and leisure will help redefine Oxford Street’s offer as an attractive destination for both domestic and inbound tourists. This, in turn, will help boost nearby businesses – be they restaurants, pubs, leisure or hotels.”