Oxford Street goes traffic-free in historic London transformation
A nearly one-kilometre stretch of London's famous shopping street bans vehicles in a bid to reverse retail decline.
At a glance
- Nearly one-kilometre stretch of Oxford Street between Orchard Street and Great Portland Street is now permanently traffic-free
- The ban applies to cars, buses, taxis and bicycles
- The move comes after decades of proposals and abandoned schemes
- Oxford Street receives approximately 500,000 daily visitors and generates around £3.1 billion annually
A section of Oxford Street in central London became traffic-free on Monday, banning cars, buses, taxis and bicycles between Orchard Street and Great Portland Street. The move follows decades of proposals and political disagreements. London Mayor Sadiq Khan described it as a historic moment, saying the changes would help restore the street's appeal to shoppers, tourists and retailers.
Oxford Street attracts approximately 500,000 visitors daily and generates around £3.1 billion in annual spending. Khan attributed recent decline to online shopping, out-of-town retail centres and the Covid-19 pandemic, but said the transformation demonstrates that decline is not inevitable.
Why it matters
Oxford Street is one of the world's busiest shopping destinations. The traffic-free zone aims to reverse years of retail decline caused by online shopping, out-of-town centres and the pandemic.
Original reporting
- Gulf NewsLondon’s Oxford Street goes traffic-free in historic move
- Asharq Al-Awsat (English)Buses Out, Shoppers In: London’s Oxford Street Goes Traffic-Free
This brief was written with AI assistance from the reports listed above and checked against our editorial policy. Spotted an error? Request a correction.
