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Sadiq Khan has a dream. One day, he wants to see Oxford Street become a fully traffic-free zone. A few months ago, the mayor said that he wanted the shopping district to be pedestrianised ‘as quickly as possible’. Now, he has a chance to prove just how great a car-free Oxford Street could be – he has announced that traffic will be completely banned there for one day in September.
From noon until 8pm on September 21, Oxford Street will be empty of all cars, cabs and buses. But that’s not all. The road will host ‘This Is Oxford Street’, a free event showing off the best of what it has to offer.
With all that extra space to walk around, there’ll be street food stalls, coffee pop-ups, showcases from international sporting partners like Major League Baseball, live music performances, a Choose Love charity zone and a wellness village hosted by Holland and Barrett.
Sadiq Khan, said: ‘I’m excited to announce our landmark “This is Oxford Street” event which will take place in September and offer Londoners, visitors, and businesses a glimpse of what the nation’s high street could look like in the future.
‘This is a fantastic opportunity to see Oxford Street in a whole new light, traffic-free, full of music, great food, pop-ups and entertainment for everyone. As Mayor, I’m determined to unlock Oxford Street’s true potential and deliver a world-class, accessible, clean, avenue.
‘So add the date to your diary, it’s going to be a fantastic day out as we reimagine the West End for everyone. This Is Oxford Street – vibrant, thriving and back on the map.’
So far, the mayor says that there has been an overwhelmingly positive response to the proposal. In a public consultation, nearly seven in 10 respondents expressed support for the mayor’s specific ideas and two thirds backed pedestrianisation generally. If vehicles were eliminated from the area, there would be greater opportunity for al fresco dining and outdoor events – and who doesn’t want that, eh?
Khan hopes that Oxford Street will become permanently pedestrianised by 2027. He wants to establish a mayoral development corporation by January 2026 which would give him the power to oversee the regeneration of the street. In depth plans for the future of the road and what would happen to the 16 bus routes that serve it are expected to go to consultation later this year.
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