Oxford Street to be car-free by 2020

The Mayor of London’s office has announced that Oxford Street, one of the busiest in the capital, will be pedestrianised by 2020.

Visited by more than four million people a week, the street is bustling and world-famous for shopping.

The latest in Sadiq Khan’s plan to combat air pollution will see the road made car-free in two stages – from the eastern section of Oxford Circus and then rolled onwards. Valerie Shawcross, the London deputy mayor for transport, has told the London Assembly that vehicles will be banned from Tottenham Court Road to the entrance of Bond Street tube station, a 1.2 mile stretch.

The street is currently used by 270 buses every day, and has been reported as one of the most polluted streets in the world. The planned pedestrianisation will coincide with Crossrail, which should boost the number of shoppers and visitors to the areas. Stations are scheduled to open at Tottenham Court Road and Bond Street in December 2018.

A good chunk of Oxford Street already has a private car ban in place from 7-7 Mon-Sat, but taxis and public transport is still permitted.

Siwan Puw, policy manager at the London Chamber of Commerce, said: “Doing the work in stages means trading will continue more easily. However, we need to ensure continuity of service in the area during the changes.”

London is the top city in the UK in breach of the World Health Organisation air pollution guidelines, and new Mayor Sadiq Khan seems very focussed on efforts toward changing that.

Are you supportive of Oxford Street being pedestrianised? Did you realise a private vehicle ban was already in place? Let us know in the comments below!

Author Lex Barber

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