New images show what a pedestrianised Soho could look like

As Sadiq Khan continues on his mission to make Oxford Street car-free, there are calls for Soho to become fully pedestrianised, too. And now, new proposals have unveiled exactly what that could look like. 

You might remember that Soho did have a small taste of life as a car-free zone back in 2020 and 2021 when it hosted the ‘Soho Summer Street Festival’. Cars were banned from 17 streets in the area to encourage people back out on the streets post-lockdown and allow restaurants to serve while abiding by social distancing measures.  

Four years later, two architects – John Lacey of Doodle Architecture and Russell Potter of SODA Studio – are at the helm of the proposals to pedestrianise Soho permanently. They’ve earmarked a portion of the area to go traffic-free, including Old Compton Street, Kingly Street and Greek Street.

Lacey and Potter claim that pedestrianisation will help to reduce vehicle emissions, improve air quality and create more space for greenery in the area. They also argue that, as shown during the Soho Summer Street Festival, local businesses would benefit from the increased footfall. Under the plans, essential services like deliveries and street cleaning would still be allowed to happen between 7am and 11am, similar to the system in Chinatown.   

Potter said: ‘Soho means so many things to so many people. This project is about reinforcing a sense of pride in the place where people live, work and enjoy themselves.We felt it was time to take a more cohesive approach to make the area better and more inclusive for everyone. It’s fantastic to see support pouring in from local businesses and those that use ‘The Village’ on a daily basis.’

There has already been backing from people who know and love Soho, including Sir Stephen Fry, who said: ‘London is at its best when it gives space to people, not cars. Soho is one of our most precious cultural quarters. It represents a haven for creativity, conviviality and community within central London. Pedestrianising its streets is not an indulgence but an investment in cleaner air, safer roads and a richer civic life. To walk freely through Soho is to experience the city as it was meant to be.’

Gary Henshawm, the owner of Ku Bar on Old Compton Street, added: ‘This would bring such positive changes to Soho. The approach feels perfectly aligned with Compton Street and seems entirely workable, particularly with early deliveries as we already see in Chinatown.’

Hold your horses, though – nothing is official yet. The proposal has been sent for review by Westminster City Council’s Neighbourhood Community Infrastructure Levy team and after that it will need to be discussed with local residents, businesses and visitors to ensure that their needs are met.

If that all goes well, the architects hope to submit a formal application in January and, if approved, they say that the plans could become reality later in 2026. However, a spokesperson for Westminster council said: ‘There have been no consultations or discussions on these proposals, and there are categorically no plans from the council to pedestrianise Soho.’

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