London's Oxford Street is closing to cars, buses, and bicycles starting Monday LONDON -- London’s Oxford Street will be closed to cars, buses and bicycles starting Monday as authorities seek to revive the city’s main shopping street, where the proliferation of souvenir shops and candy sellers has dimmed the allure of what was once the heart of British consumer culture. From now on, nearly a kilometer (mile) of Oxford Street between Orchard Street and Great Portland Street will be traffic-free, with vehicles diverted onto surrounding roads. The move is the first step in a makeover of the storied shopping precinct, with plans to plant trees, install seating and add two new public squares.
Oxford Street still sees about half a million visitors a day, with shoppers bustling between retailers such as Selfridges, Zara and John Lewis. But city officials say pedestrianizing the street will put it back into the league of top global shopping destinations like Times Square, the Champs-Élysées and La Rambla. That helped overcome opposition from local residents who complained that diverting vehicles from Oxford Street would clog their neighborhoods with traffic.
A public consultation later determined that removing traffic would attract new shops and visitors to Oxford Street, making it “an iconic destination.” The project also got a boost from the new Elizabeth train line, which runs through the heart of the city, with a stop on Oxford Street.
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