Mayor gives official go-ahead for Oxford Street pedestrianisation

The Mayor of London, Sir Sadiq Khan, has officially approved plans for the pedestrianisation of London's Oxford Street today.

These plans form part of the Mayor's strategy to revitalise Oxford Street, which he unveiled in February last year. The proposals aim to enhance the visitor experience and create space for new leisure opportunities, such as al fresco dining and outdoor events.

A one-day trial ban of traffic from a half-mile stretch of Oxford Street was completed in September last year, which Khan called "the day the fight back began to rescue the street".

The fight has now seemingly been won, with the London mayor having instructed Transport for London (TfL) to implement the proposal that removes traffic from Oxford Street between Great Portland Street and Orchard Street, according to City Hall.

As early as September it is hoped that vehicles will stop using the road, with additional work starting in the coming months, and expected to continue until late 2027, to make the street more attractive to pedestrians.

The final approval was given following the results of a second consultation on local traffic diversions, which showed that the majority agreed with the proposed plans. An initial consultation from June 2025, which attracted 6642 responses, showed Londoners and businesses overwhelmingly back the mayor's proposals. Department stores Selfridges and John Lewis both also shared their enthusiasm and support for the scheme. 

TfL said the pedestrianisation would go ahead as originally planned, with no changes being made to the plans previously consulted on.

"I am delighted to be moving forward with my bold vision to transform Oxford Street into a world-leading urban space for shopping, leisure and outdoor events," Sadiq Khan commented in a statement.

He added that more details would be revealed in the coming days.