OXFORD STREET CLOSES CENTRAL SECTION TO TRAFFIC

A central section of Oxford Street closed to most traffic on Monday, 26 October 2026, as London’s pedestrianisation scheme began. The permanent restriction covers about 0.6 miles, or almost one kilometre, between Great Portland Street and Orchard Street. Buses, taxis, private hire vehicles, cars, cycles, scooters and pedicabs can no longer use the section. The last red London bus travelled along it on Sunday night. Emergency services retain access at all times, and deliveries are permitted between midnight and 7am.

The closure affects about half of Oxford Street’s 1.2-mile route from Tottenham Court Road to Marble Arch, while vehicles can still use some streets that cross it. Estimates put daily visitor numbers at about half a million and annual spending at around £3.1 billion ($4.2 billion). Shops on the street include Selfridges, Liberty London, John Lewis and Marks & Spencer. London mayor Sadiq Khan called the change “a truly momentous occasion for the capital” and said it would help the street respond to competition from online shopping. He said the additional space and safety would help businesses before Christmas.

Khan has pledged more seating, public squares and tree planting in the New Year. Westminster City Council said Londoners had raised unresolved concerns about access for people with disabilities. Its deputy leader, Tim Barnes, said Oxford Circus Tube had no step-free access and warned that some people would struggle to reach the street. Campaigners for people with sight loss welcomed the change; an estimate puts the number of Londoners with some sight loss at 214,000. Khan said the scheme would support jobs and economic growth in the West End.