The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has approved plans to ban vehicles from London’s busiest shopping street and one of the most globally renowned retail destinations, Oxford Street.

Stretching about 1.9 miles through the City of Westminster, Oxford Street is home to hundreds of infamous shops, ranging from flagship department stores like Selfridges to popular high‑street brands such as Zara and Primark. 

Despite its reputation as one of London’s most iconic streets, anyone who has ever attempted their Christmas shopping there will know that the combination of busy traffic, (both pedestrians and vehicles) and the constant fear of a directionally challenged tourist pushing you in front of a double‑decker bus, does not make for the most comfortable shopping experience.

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Sir Khan, whose reforms of London’s public transport system have been felt far and wide, has been working towards a car‑free Oxford Street since 2017, just a year after he first became Mayor. He has moved quickly towards his vision of a traffic-free shopping district and, in 2024, officially unveiled plans for pedestrianisation, stating:

“Oxford Street was once the jewel in the crown of Britain’s retail sector, but there is no doubt that it has suffered hugely over the last decade. Urgent action is needed to give the nation’s most famous high street a new lease of life.”

The revised plan followed Westminster Council initially blocking the scheme in 2022 over concerns that traffic would be rerouted through quieter residential areas. The council argued that direct bus access to the area is vital for shoppers and employees, particularly those who are disabled, elderly, or on low incomes.

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Last September, the shopping district went completely car‑free for a day, with street food stalls and live music adding to the atmosphere. From noon until 8 pm, the street hosted ‘This Is Oxford Street’, a free event showcasing the best of what it has to offer. Black taxis and supercars were replaced with food stalls, coffee pop-ups, and live music stages and more than one kind of congestion was tackled, as Holland & Barrett even hosted a wellness village.

After two rounds of consultation, Khan formally approved the pedestrianisation plans yesterday (26 February). The scheme will transform a large portion of the street into a pedestrian‑friendly area, banning motor vehicles and rerouting buses. 

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When Khan first became Mayor in 2016, London’s high‑quality cycle network was about 90 km long. By 2025, the city’s cycle network had grown to over 431 km, meaning Khan has more than quadrupled the cycleway network during his time in office. Khan's plan also includes adding new cycle routes around the shopping district. 

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Construction is scheduled to start in the coming months and is expected to continue until late 2027. According to the BBC, Oxford street could be vehicle‑free as early as September 2026.

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