Oxford Street Goes Traffic-Free as London Plans Bigger Revamp

London's Oxford Street officially became traffic-free late Sunday evening, with the final vehicle clearing the historic retail corridor around 8 p.m., marking a significant shift for one of Britain's most visited commercial strips. Mayor Sadiq Khan described the moment as the beginning of a larger transformation for the nearly one-kilometre stretch, with the change arriving just ahead of the Christmas shopping season.

Khan framed the pedestrianization as a revival of the street's founding spirit, invoking two retail pioneers who shaped Oxford Street's identity. John Lewis opened his first drapery shop there in 1864, while American entrepreneur Harry Gordon Selfridge arrived in 1909 with a philosophy that repositioned shopping as entertainment rather than errand. Selfridge introduced elaborate window displays, restaurants, lounges, and — notably for the Edwardian era — women's restrooms, which gave female shoppers greater autonomy in the city.

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The traffic ban is described by Khan as only the first phase of a broader redevelopment plan that will eventually introduce green spaces alongside venues dedicated to arts and music. The aim, according to the mayor, is to restore the in-person retail experience at a time when high streets across the United Kingdom face sustained pressure from e-commerce and changing consumer habits.

Oxford Street has long been considered a barometer of British retail health, drawing millions of visitors each year. Supporters of pedestrianization argue that removing vehicle traffic will improve air quality, reduce noise, and make the area more attractive to both shoppers and businesses. Critics have previously raised concerns about traffic displacement into surrounding residential streets, a tension that city planners will need to manage as the broader scheme advances.

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