Mayor of London Sadiq Khan will publish plans later this year showing detailed proposals for the first stage of his vision to pedestrianise Oxford Street, after claiming a majority of people are in support of it.
In an announcement today, the Mayor also restated his intention to establish a Mayoral Development Corporation (MDC) by 1 January 2026.
“Detailed traffic and highway proposals will be developed to pedestrianise the section of road between Orchard Street and Oxford Circus up to Great Portland Street — almost a mile of one of London’s most iconic high streets. These will be consulted on later this year,” said the Mayor’s office in a press release.
The announcement is broadly in line with what the Mayor said in March about wanting a “phased pedestrianisation” of the street which will begin with the western section, with the eastern end towards Tottenham Court Road done later as it will “take longer to pedestrianise”.
Within the consultation report published today it states: “The ambition is to pedestrianise the whole road, in a way which delivers maximum benefit and minimum disruption. In practice, this would mean a phased approach, with the first pedestrianisation plans to be brought forward focusing on Oxford Street West (broadly Orchard Street to Oxford Circus), and likely with some public realm improvements made to the eastern part of Oxford Street, as well.”
The plans are backed by deputy prime minister Angela Rayner and also the leader of Camden Council Richard Olszewski.
“We look forward to continuing to work closely with the Mayor and other stakeholders to develop these proposals and work up in more detail the operational aspects of the proposed development corporation,” said the Camden leader.
Olszewski said that the “proposals are also set to benefit neighbouring areas like Fitzrovia and Holborn.” However, Camden Council has not discussed the plans with residents or community groups in Fitzrovia.
Notably absent from this morning’s official press release is any comment from Westminster Council leader Adam Hug who remains opposed to the plans along with the majority of residents and community groups in the surrounding neighbourhoods.
“While the mayor’s formal decision today was not the council’s preferred outcome, it is far from unexpected, and it is now important for Oxford Street’s future to move forward together,” Hug said in a report in the Guardian.
Hug told the Financial Times: “Westminster council will work constructively with the mayor’s team to ensure the nation’s high street is reimagined in a way that works for visitors, shoppers, and our residents.”
Westminster Council along with residents in the districts surrounding Oxford Street remain concerned about the displacement of motor traffic into the narrow side streets where people live.
In March the Fitzrovia West Neighbourhood Forum said the Mayor’s plans would “inevitably delay any wider improvements to [Fitzrovia West], create greater uncertainty for all concerned and produce a significant reduction in democratic control for a swathe of central London noted for its complexity and mix of residents, businesses and visitors.”
Candidates standing for the Labour Party in Westminster have said they “don’t believe there is any practical way of removing buses from eastern Oxford Street”.
In today’s briefing from the Mayor, no clue has been given as to how buses and taxis and other motor vehicles will be re-routed around the shopping street, to the continued frustration of community groups who have pressed the Mayor and Transport for London for details.
Cycling will also be banned on Oxford Street. Will Norman, the Mayor’s cycling and walking commissioner, told the London Assembly earlier this year that allowing cycling would be “extremely unpleasant”.
Yet no plans to enable safe cycling routes through the area have been revealed in today’s announcement nor any real commitment other than working with Camden and Westminster councils “to develop proposals for alternative cycle routes”.
According to the Mayor’s office, 6,642 people and organisations responded to the public consultation on the plans. Of these, 67 per cent support the principle of pedestrianising Oxford Street and 69 per cent support the creation of an MDC.
The 77-page consultation report answers a number of the questions raised by respondents about aspects of the scale of pedestrianisation and operation of the MDC, but gives no detail about the future management of the motor and pedal cycle traffic that currently uses the street.
“It is accepted that removing through traffic (including buses and taxis) is likely to lead to some further traffic displacement,” states the consultation report.
“Detailed traffic modelling would be undertaken as part of any future detailed proposal to understand the traffic and environmental impacts of pedestrianising Oxford Street. The traffic impacts of a proposal would be included in any future consultation; in developing detailed proposals for future consultation, we would seek to minimise adverse impacts as much as possible through traffic management changes in the wider area, which could include traffic signal changes and traffic changes on some local streets,” states the report.
Mayor Khan will now notify the London Assembly of his intention to designate an MDA and establish an MDC for Oxford Street.
“From the day the Mayor’s proposal is laid before the Assembly, a statutory 21-day consideration period (which includes weekends and holidays) will begin. The Mayor will also move ahead with proposals to pedestrianise the road, with detailed highways and traffic design proposals to be consulted on later this year,” states City Hall.
Mayor of London: Oxford Street Transformation project page and consultation report.
Please support The Fitzrovia News. Consider helping us cover our costs by visiting our secure payment page.
Discover more from The Fitzrovia News
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
