Oxford Street pedestrianisation : How shoppers and businesses feel about it

By Adrian Zorzut, Local Democracy Reporter

Shoppers and workers have shared their views on the Mayor of London’s proposal to partially pedestrianise Oxford Street, announced yesterday.

Most of those looking for bargains along the popular shopping strip this week appear broadly supportive of Sadiq Khan’s plans to ban traffic between Oxford Circus and Marble Arch but question whether it can work.

Monica Sanchez, 50, visits Oxford Street every fortnight to go shopping. She said: “Anything that reduces traffic is good but how do people then travel?

“London is a big city. There are a lot of cars, traffic and noise. If they did more greenery and pedestrianisation, that would be good. There aren’t many pedestrianised places in London.”

Lloyd Edmonds, 65, has been a street performer for 20 years. He said he is worried fewer people will want to shop on Oxford Street under Mr Khan’s plans because they have no way of getting down the street easier if they have bags of shopping.

Phong Ho, 44, said: “I love the idea personally. I’ve lived in cities where there has been pedestrianisation and I think it’s a good thing for the environment, it’s good for our health, and genuinely, I like how it looks”.

Zehra Dara, 24, who uses a wheelchair, said she hopes Mr Khan can make Oxford Street easier to get around for people with disabilities.

She said: “Right now Oxford Street is a bit crowded. There are a lot of steps and uneven roads so it’s quite hard for me to go around in my chair. I feel quite uneasy, quite unsafe sometimes and if I’m by myself I  wouldn’t be able to go around.”

Businesses seem to have mixed feelings about the scheme. Ahmed Khalil, 25, a shop assistant at a souvenir shop on Oxford Street called Rockaway, said: “Completely stopping the buses, the cars – that will be difficult for people to travel.”

Mercy Sagbale, 29, said it “makes more sense” to keep traffic flowing through Oxford Street. The duty manager at the restaurant 25-80 Oxford Street is worried banning cars may negatively impact how her restaurant receives stock. She said: “People will not be able to get their stock as often. Like most of the restaurants in central, we get our deliveries on a daily basis.”

Ms Sagbale said she hopes pedestrianisation will bring more customers to the less-explored areas off Oxford Street, where her restaurant is located.

City Hall believes the Mayor’s proposal would “turn Oxford Street into a more attractive and thriving modern retail and leisure destination” attracting more tourists, increasing footfall and spending.

They claimed it would also boost capital’s night-time economy. But, beyond banning traffic and plans to introduce more changes towards Tottenham Court Road, it is not clear what precisely the proposal would entail.

Mr Khan’s team says previously plans had been blocked by Conservative-run Westminster council in 2018. The council changed hands to Labour in 2022.

A spokesman for the Mayor said: “Oxford Street was once the jewel in the crown of Britain’s retail sector but there is no doubt that it has suffered in recent years and urgent action is needed to give the iconic high street a new lease of life.

“This is why the Mayor has announced bold new plans to pedestrianise Oxford Street, to increase visitor numbers and encourage people to stay longer, boosting growth in London and around the country.

“Plans for this exciting project will be developed in collaboration with businesses, residents and other stakeholders, to ensure the project can best serve all Londoners.”

The plans require Mr Khan to receive permission from Angela Rayner as Secretary of State for Local Government to establish a new Mayoral Development Corporation, which would have greater planning powers.

The project is expected to cost around £150million, with City Hall officials hoping it could be paid for by a combination of businesses, new revenue streams and private funders. Restrictions already in place mean between 7am-7pm vehicule access to parts of Oxford Street is limited to taxis and buses, except on Sundays.

Stuart Love, the chief executive of Westminster City council, said the Mayor’s proposal had only been presented to the council last Thursday. He said “further details” including how City Hall will deliver the project, how long it will take, and how concerns from local residents and users would be addressed were required.

He said: “We will want to know how they will benefit from any proposals, particularly given the practical challenges pedestrianisation may have for the wider area. As a custodian of the West End, our role will be to ensure that local voices are heard loud and clear.”

Pictured top: Oxford Street (Picture: Google Street View)