Map showing the extent of the Oxford Street pedestrianised area within the Oxford Street Development Corporation area.
The section to be pedestrianised within the Oxford Street Development Corporation area. Image: OSDC.

Transport for London (TfL) has announced a list of street changes and works, ahead of the pedestrianisation of Oxford Street between Great Portland Street and Orchard Street which will begin later this month.

Pedestrianisation day will be Monday 26 October and work is being done to enable bus services to navigate around the traffic-free area and to accommodate access by motor vehicles to premises.

Changes to bus stops and taxi ranks are being implemented but no special facilities for cyclists are being introduced.

In an email to local residents’ groups, TfL’s local communities and partnerships officer, Abbas Raza says: “I am writing to update you on the progress of enabling works which will prepare Oxford Street to become traffic free between Orchard Street and Great Portland Street.

“Since our last update we have confirmed that Oxford Street will go traffic-free between Orchard Street and Great Portland Street on 26 October 2026.”

However, a number of changes are being implemented ahead of that date. Some work will be done overnight between 10pm and 5am.

Bus routes are being changed and buses will not run along Oxford Street between Orchard Street and Great Portland Street from the evening of Sunday 25 October with preparation and changes to services beginning from Saturday 24 October.

A number of bus routes will be diverted onto different roads, and will serve new stops along Wigmore Street, Henrietta Place and Cavendish Place.

Motor vehicles as well as cycles, pedicabs, e-bikes and e-scooters will not be allowed on the pedestrianised part of Oxford Street but mobility scooters will still be permitted.

North-south roads will remain open to traffic as crossings of Oxford Street at:

  • Orchard Street/North Audley Street
  • Duke Street
  • Stratford Place /Davies Street
  • Vere Street/New Bond Street
  • Holles Street / Harewood Place
  • Regent Street
  • Great Portland Street 

Works underway or scheduled

  • Updated: Oxford Street’s junction with Great Portland Street: between 28 September and 16 October 2026 we are removing part of the central island on Oxford Street to enable new bus movements and provide a new pedestrian crossing in future. We are working during the day on weekdays. Our site safety barriers will be in place throughout the day and night. We have now completed the majority of these works and have re-opened the small section of Oxford Street that was closed as the junction of Great Portland Street. There remains a no right turn from Oxford Street into Great Portland Street while the remainder of works are completed. Great Portland Street is open northbound only for vehicles and cycles between Great Castle Street and Oxford Street.
    • The following buses have now returned to their eastbound routes and stops on Oxford Street:
      • 55, 73, 98, and 390 
      • N8, N25, N55, N73, N98 and N207
  • Extended: Balderton Street, Bird Street & Woodstock Street works commenced on 28 September and we now expect to complete these works by 13 October 2026 – we are installing safety bollards on these streets. We are working during the day (8am to 5pm). While we are working:
    • There will be no vehicle access to Balderton Street from North Row. Vehicle access to Balderton Street will be via Brown Hart Gardens.
    • There will be no pedestrian access to Bird Street from Oxford Street. Access to Bird Street from Barrett Street maintained. Access to properties maintained.
    • There will be no pedestrian access to Oxford Street from Woodstock Street.
  • Updated: Lumley Street, Marylebone Lane East, Dering Street – we are installing safety bollards on these streets. We will be working during the day (8am to 5pm). While we are working:
    • There will be no pedestrian access to Oxford Street from Lumley Street. We now expect to complete these works by 16 October 2026
    • There will be no pedestrian access to Oxford Street from Dering Street. We now expect to start these works on 12 October 2026
    • There will be no pedestrian access to Oxford Street from Marylebone Lane East (former Debenham’s site). Pedestrian access to Oxford Street provided via Marylebone Lane West (Bond Street station exit). We now expect to start these works on 13 October 2026
  • Marylebone Lane West, Old Cavendish Place from 8 October to 13 October 2026 we will be installing safety bollards on these streets. We will be working during the day (8am to 5pm). While we are working:
    • There will be no pedestrian access to Oxford Street from Marylebone Lane West (Bond Street station exit). Pedestrian access to Oxford Street via Marylebone Lane East (former Debenham’s site) maintained. The Bond Street station exit will remain open but pedestrians wanting to access Oxford Street will be diverted to Marylebone Lane East.
    • There will be no pedestrian access to Oxford Street from Old Cavendish Place. 
  • Updated: James Street, Gilbert Street and Binney Street: As above, we will be installing safety bollards on these streets, at their junction with Oxford Street. These streets will be permanently closed at their junctions with Oxford Street from 19 October 2026. We will also install bollards on James Street, just south of its junction with Barrett Street.

Works to be scheduled 

These works are being scheduled, and we will confirm their dates and times when the necessary work permits are finalised: 

  • Great Portland Street (between Great Castle Street and Market Place): we will install bus stands and remove a taxi bay. 
  • Junction of Wigmore Street, Portman Square, Orchard Street: we will be providing a road markings and signals changes to enable right turns from Orchard Street into Wigmore Street for vehicles ahead of Oxford Street becoming traffic free   
  • Public realm measures: Implementation of temporary urban realm along Oxford Street.  

Works Completed

We have completed works in the following locations since our last update:

  • Great Portland Street: we have completed our current works on Great Portland Street, we continue to on Oxford Street at the junction with Great Portland Street on smaller works site.
  • Duke Street: We extended the existing taxi bay at the junction of Oxford Street to 39.8m and provided an additional disabled parking bay on Duke St south of Oxford Street. Please note that the disabled parking bay requires some additional marking.
  • Great Castle Street (East) and Regent Street: we have complete re-aligning the kerb at Great Castle Street (East).

For more information, see TfL’s Oxford Street project page.

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