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London mayor Sir Sadiq Khan has officially approved the pedestrianisation of Oxford Street.
He has told Transport for London (TfL) to move ahead with its proposed “traffic and highway changes” that would eliminate vehicle access between Great Portland Street and Orchard Street.
TfL’s plans include closing the road to private and motorised vehicles, buses, taxis, cycles, scooters and pedicabs, with service and delivery vehicles only permitted to enter the traffic-free area from midnight to 07:00.
General traffic, already barred between 07:00 and 19:00 Monday to Saturday, will keep using alternative routes, while new and wider pedestrian crossings will be installed.
Additional upcoming changes include:
- Buses that currently serve Oxford Street to be rerouted along Wigmore Street and Henrietta Place, where new bus stops and shelters will be constructed
- Placement of other new bus stops, taxi ranks and drop-off locations as close to the pedestrianised area as possible
- Possibility of increased blue-badge parking bays in the area
- Development of new cycle routes, as cycling will not be allowed
The BBC reported that London’s City Hall expects vehicles to be disallowed from the road by September, with additional measures to cater to pedestrians set to take place afterwards.
The move follows the outcome of a second consultation launched in January 2026 on possible route changes, which received over 2,700 responses.
The mayor said he hopes Oxford Street’s pedestrianisation will “maximise its economic and social potential as a globally renowned retail and leisure destination”.
When TfL delayed the removal of traffic for one day in September 2025, footfall on the road shot up by 45%.
The decision came after a consultation released in June found that nearly seven in ten Londoners were in favour of the mayor’s plans to revitalise Oxford Street, with around two-thirds explicitly supporting pedestrianisation.
The Greater London Authority said the street generates roughly £25bn a year for the capital’s economy, but has been under sustained strain from the pandemic, the rise of online shopping and competition from retail parks.
Sadiq Khan told the BBC: “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.
“We will outline more details in the coming days, as we continue building a better more prosperous London for everyone.”
