‘It’s a better experience’: shoppers praise Oxford Street pedestrianisation
Many punters say inconvenience of bus rerouting is small price to pay for more space, but not everyone is happy To the east of Oxford Circus, there is chaos. A steady stream of red London buses swing round the last junction before the newly pedestrianised Oxford Street begins. The streets are crammed with pedestrians, some squabbling over who poked whom with their umbrella first. To the west,…
The closure of Oxford Street to traffic has sparked mixed reactions among shoppers and city workers. The newly pedestrianised stretch, stretching almost a kilometre east of Oxford Circus, has seen a steady stream of buses rerouted around the last junction, while the streets now brim with pedestrians. Some shoppers, such as Daniel Te, have praised the extra walking space and the overall "momentous day" hailed by Mayor Sadiq Khan.
Daniel, who recently moved to London from the US, expressed his excitement about the new pedestrian-friendly environment, saying it was a significant change from his first impressions of a crowded scramble crossing.
However, not everyone is satisfied with the changes. Raquel Cox, visiting from Ireland, acknowledged potential negative impacts on surrounding streets, but felt the pedestrianisation was a better experience for shoppers. Abbas Shigival, a kiosk owner, believed the street had become a more pleasant environment, citing increased footfall.
However, taxi driver Ben McMullan argued that the change had worsened traffic on surrounding streets and posed accessibility problems for his customers. McMullan also feared the closure could negatively impact his business as people become aware they can't access the street by car.
Claire Mann, Transport for London's chief operating officer, stated that the street now welcomes half of its usual 1.2-mile length, and the mayor assured London would closely monitor the changes to ensure they benefit everyone. The permanent plans, including trees, seating, and level plazas, will commence in spring 2027.
Written by urgent.news from Guardian Business's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
This story
This is one outlet's version. Read the fullest account.
