Oxford Street’s First Pedestrian Phase Begins

On October 26, 2026, a 0.6-mile (?1 km) stretch of Oxford Street between Orchard Street and Great Portland Street was closed to all motorised traffic, including buses, taxis, private-hire vehicles, bicycles and pedicabs. The closure is permanent for this section and marks the first phase of a multi-year regeneration programme.

Black cabs lose access to almost one kilometre of Oxford Street as London’s new pedestrianisation scheme takes effect

Oxford Street generates roughly £3.1 billion in annual retail spend and attracts about half a million visitors each day (OSDC). The street has faced “managed decline” over the past two decades, with shop closures during the Covid-19 pandemic and competition from online retail. Mayor Sadiq Khan has advocated pedestrianisation since 2016; the plan received final city approval in February 2026 after a 2025 consultation in which two-thirds of respondents backed the scheme.

London’s Oxford Street becomes traffic-free

• Length pedestrianised: ~0.6 mile (?1 km).

BBC News

• Estimated cost of phase 1: £150 million.

London’s Oxford Street becomes traffic-free

• Planned improvements by spring 2027: >50 new trees, two public squares, >100 seats and dining tables, and raised road surfaces at two points.

The Independent

• Economic impact estimates vary: £3.1 billion in spending versus a claim of £25 billion contribution to London’s economy.

Oxford Street Goes Traffic-Free as Pedestrianisation Begins

• The Oxford Street Development Corporation (OSDC) said the transitional scheme will allow “testing and learning” and that emergency services will retain access via cross-streets.

Oxford Street Goes Traffic-Free as Pedestrianisation Begins

• Housing, Communities and Local Government Secretary Angela Rayner called the project “an exciting new chapter” that will attract investment and jobs.

The Independent

• Black-cab driver Jason Harvey (51) called pedestrianising any part of Oxford Street “crazy,” citing concerns for disabled passengers and young children.

The Straits Times

• Shoppers welcomed the change, noting the extra space to explore shops.

Oxford Street goes traffic-free: London’s most famous shopping street enters a new era

• A local worker described the atmosphere as “joyful” and likened the pedestrian zone to “a new vibrant destination.”

The Independent

• Retail-spending estimates differ, with OSDC citing £3.1 billion and an ABC News-quoted city official claiming £25 billion. The sources do not reconcile this discrepancy.

Oxford Street Goes Traffic-Free as Pedestrianisation Begins

• No published data yet exist on traffic-volume changes on surrounding streets; TfL and OSDC say monitoring will continue but have not released baseline figures.

BBC News

• “This is a momentous day for Oxford Street, but also for London,” — Mayor Sadiq Khan

London’s Oxford Street becomes traffic-free

• The first phase will remain in place while a “transitional scheme” runs until spring 2027, after which OSDC plans to install the announced trees, seating and public squares.

The Independent

• TfL will continue to monitor traffic on nearby streets, with a review scheduled for March 2027.

Black cabs lose access to almost one kilometre of Oxford Street as London’s new pedestrianisation scheme takes effect

• A further licensing-powers package for the wider Oxford Street district is slated for implementation on November 3, 2026.

Oxford Street Goes Traffic-Free as Pedestrianisation Begins

• Legal challenges scheduled for May 7, 2026 have not proceeded after advice that a judicial review would be unlikely to succeed.

Oxford Street Goes Traffic-Free as Pedestrianisation Begins