London's Oxford Street Begins Traffic-Free Trial Along Nearly One Kilometre

A central section of London's Oxford Street became traffic-free on Monday, October 26, as the city began a phased pedestrianisation programme for one of Britain's busiest shopping streets. The initial changes cover nearly one kilometre between Orchard Street and Great Portland Street, including the Oxford Circus shopping area.

The new arrangements exclude buses, taxis, private cars and bicycles from the affected stretch during pedestrian hours, which run from 07:00 until midnight each day. Private vehicles were already subject to daytime restrictions, but the changes extend the exclusion to other forms of through traffic. Emergency vehicles and mobility scooters retain access, while deliveries can use specified access routes outside the pedestrian hours.

Several bus services, including routes 7, 98 and 390, have been diverted to nearby streets. North-south traffic can continue to cross the area at designated junctions. Transport arrangements around the corridor will be monitored as the city assesses congestion, accessibility and the experience of people visiting local shops and businesses.

The Oxford Street Development Corporation says the first phase is deliberately temporary, allowing it to gather feedback from residents, retailers, workers and accessibility groups before more permanent changes are made. Plans for subsequent stages include seating, trees, rest areas, clearer signage and improvements to the public space.

The project is intended to make the shopping district more attractive to pedestrians and support its commercial recovery, but it has also prompted questions about traffic displacement and access for people who rely on taxis or buses. Whether the scheme extends farther along Oxford Street will depend in part on how the first phase performs.

The operational change began at 07:00 local London time on October 26. It is a verified same-day transport-policy development, rather than a change first introduced within the latest reporting hour.