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| Designers look at a segment of London's Oxford Street when it becomes all pedestrian this week |
A nearly one-kilometer (2/3 of a mile) stretch of Oxford Street will became a pedestrian mall October 26, removing buses, taxis, bicycles and other regular traffic from part of Britain’s best-known shopping street ahead of the Christmas shopping season.
The conversion will extend from Orchard Street to Great Portland Street, passing through Oxford Circus. Vehicles displaced by the change will be diverted onto nearby roads, where officials say traffic conditions will be monitored.
The project is being driven by London Mayor Sadiq Khan, who revived his campaign to pedestrianize Oxford Street in September 2024. His earlier effort failed in 2018 when Westminster City Council withdrew its support amid concerns about the effect on surrounding streets.
Proposals to change how people travel along Oxford Street have circulated for decades; the current conversion represents the delivery of Khan’s renewed initiative. City Hall presents the project as an effort to strengthen Oxford Street’s position as a shopping and visitor destination following years of pressure from online retailing, changing consumer habits and the pandemic.
The intended benefits include more room for pedestrians, opportunities for outdoor events and dining, and a street where visitors can spend time beyond shopping.
Responsibility for delivering the transformation rests with the Oxford Street Development Corporation, a public body established January 1, 2026. Its chief executive is Nabeel Khan (no relation), previously head of growth and environment at the London Borough of Lambeth. The corporation coordinates the regeneration programme with Transport for London, local councils, businesses and other partners.
Transport for London handles the highway and traffic changes that make the conversion possible.
The first phase’s design team is led by London practice East. Its collaborators include landscape firm J&L Gibbons, urban design consultancy Gehl, research and design practice Publica, Etude and Norman Rourke Pryme.
East released initial images in October and says seating, new public spaces and trees will be introduced through the transitional stages, with improvements in place by spring 2027.
A separate team led by Hawkins/Brown is preparing a broader concept for Oxford Street’s full length, from Marble Arch to Tottenham Court Road. That wider assignment does not mean the entire street will close to vehicles October 26.
City Hall’s design brief provides for continued bus travel along the eastern section beyond the pedestrianization area. Former New York transportation commissioner Janette Sadik-Khan (no relation) and Bloomberg Associates have also advised City Hall during development of the programme, bringing experience from the conversion of Times Square into pedestrian space.
Access arrangements will preserve some essential vehicle movements. Emergency vehicles and mobility scooters will retain access, while loading vehicles will be permitted between midnight and 7 a.m.
Several north-south crossings, including Regent Street at Oxford Circus, will remain open except during temporary construction closures. These arrangements mean the new mall will still have vehicle crossings and controlled servicing access.
Public consultations helped shape the decision. In the 2025 consultation, 66 percent of respondents who expressed a view on pedestrianization supported it. A later consultation on detailed transport and highway changes received 2,716 responses. Questions about accessibility, diverted traffic, noise and air quality formed part of the assessment process.
The consultation figures reflect participants’ responses, rather than a representative poll of all Londoners. October 26 marks the beginning of a phased conversion. The corporation plans limited initial construction to reduce disruption during the holiday shopping period, followed by seating, rest areas, trees and signage.
Temporary arrangements will allow officials to gather feedback from residents, workers, businesses and accessibility groups before developing permanent improvements. A transitional scheme is expected to be in place by the end of spring 2027.
LEST WE FORGET/ Oxford Street during WW2 Nazi bombing:
