London’s Oxford Street is officially getting pedestrianised – and we won’t have long to wait

Keep on walking

Hermione Blandford's avatar
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an proposed rendering of what a pedestrianised Oxford Street would look like
(Image credit: Mayor of London’s Office)

The only thing that can detract from the magic of wandering around London’s iconic Oxford Street is the barrage of beeps and swerves from the onslaught of buses, cabs, bikers, and pedicabs that are all vying for travel across the same small area. Added to that, at times (we’re looking at you, Christmas) it can feel like a downright battle trying to navigate your way through the multiple lanes of pedestrian traffic all heading in different directions across the narrow pavements. Now, that could all be about to change.

A car-free Oxford Street has been on the cards since 2017, when Mayor Sadiq Khan unveiled official plans for the project.

If it’s giving you flashbacks that you can’t quite place, that might be because there was a mini trial run in 2024. Back in September, the area went totally car-free for the day to give everyone a taste of what it could be like – complete with food trucks, live music, and other festivities.

Westminster, London, England. View from the top of Nelson's Column in Trafalgar Square down Whitehall towards Big Ben

(Image credit: Scott E Barbour / Getty Images)

Now approved (following two rounds of consultations), works are set to begin in the next few months, running until late 2027. According to the BBC, vehicles could be persona non grata on the central streets as soon as September 2026.

Obviously, Oxford Street is a core stop on many travel routes, meaning sixteen buses will get rerouted as a result of the change, including 7, 94, and 98. All double-deckers which currently detour through Oxford Street are set to be redirected through Wigmore Street and Henrietta Palace. According to TFL, this will add just one minute’s difference to the existing journey times. Which, in finance bro speak, is about half an hour and £20.

Currently, about 63% of Londoners support the pedestrianisation of Oxford Street, according to a consultation from June 2025.

Speaking about the plan’s developments, London Mayor Sadiq Khan said: ‘I am delighted to be moving forward with my bold vision to transform Oxford Street into a world-leading urban space for shopping, leisure and outdoor events.’

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Hermione Blandford
Hermione Blandford
Content Editor

Hermione Blandford is the Content Editor for Shortlist’s social media which means you can usually find her scrolling through Instagram and calling it work, or stopping random people in the street and accosting them with a mini mic. She has previously worked in food and drink PR for brands including Johnnie Walker, Tanqueray, Gordon's, The Singleton, Lagavulin and Don Julio which means she is a self confessed expert in spicy margaritas and pints, regularly popping into the pub in the name of research.

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