The part-pedestrianisation of London’s Oxford Street seems to be getting closer and a preview of what could be its future will be seen on 21 September as it will be traffic-free for a special one-day event.
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The event, dubbed, This is Oxford Street, is intended to showcase what a traffic ban could do ahead of what the Mayor of London hopes will be a permanent status by 2027.
The traffic-free zone will stretch from Oxford Circus to Orchard Street — which means from Selfridges to the Regent Street junction — and will kick off at noon that Sunday, running until 8pm.
Mayor Sir Sadiq Khan said: “This is a fantastic opportunity to see Oxford Street in a whole new light, traffic-free, full of music, great food, pop-ups and entertainment for everyone. I’m determined to unlock Oxford Street’s true potential and deliver a world-class, accessible, clean, avenue.”
Stores will be joining in the event with deals and themed areas focusing on fashion, sport and dining. There will also be selfie locations, a wellness zone and more.
Bus routes will be curtailed or diverted from the previous evening to the Monday morning.
Oxford Street is continuing to bounce back following the devastation of the pandemic when what was once Europe’s busiest shopping thoroughfare was all but deserted and struggled to recover even when stores were allowed to reopen. Following a spate of store closures, there have since been plenty of openings, and building development along the street has been intense.
Of course, while the intention of for permanent pedestrianisation within a couple of years, there’s still no guarantee it will happen, although it’s looking more likely than it ever has been in the very many decades since the idea was first floated. The Mayor is hoping legislation to create a mayoral development corporation will be in place by the New Year giving him planning and revenue-raising powers for the district. This year will also see further consultation over the street’s bus routes and implications for taxis from the plan.
London newspaper The Standard also reported that the final plan should see more of the street being closed to traffic than first thought. The pedestrianised area will stretch from Great Portland Street to Selfridges, although buses will interrupt this traffic-free area as they’ll still run across Oxford Circus to cover the full length of Regent Street.
