What London’s Car-Free Oxford Street Means for Shoppers, Drivers and Bus Riders

Roughly half of London’s Oxford Street, the capital’s best-known shopping strip, no longer allows vehicles. According to The Guardian, the stretch from Oxford Circus station to around Marble Arch is now off limits to buses, bicycles, taxis, e-scooters, pedicabs and private cars, and Mayor Sadiq Khan called the start of the change a “momentous day.”

For shoppers, that means more room to walk and browse. For taxi drivers, cyclists and bus operators, it means detours and, in some cases, longer journeys.

What it means for people on foot

The Guardian spoke with several visitors on a wet Monday morning, and those who came to shop were largely positive. One tourist from Ireland said the street had become a better experience for shoppers, and a recent arrival from the United States said he would now be more inclined to visit because the pavements felt less cramped. He added that most people were still walking on the pavement rather than in the road.

A souvenir kiosk owner at the start of the car-free section told the paper it was too early to judge the effect on his business, though he thought the morning was a little busier than normal and that people seemed happier.

What it means for buses

Many of London’s double-decker buses will now be routed onto neighboring streets. Claire Mann, chief operating officer at Transport for London, said there would still be plenty of capacity for passengers and that reliability should not suffer. She said the agency would watch whether ridership is affected and pointed to Bond Street and the Elizabeth Line as ways to reach the area.

What it means for taxis and accessibility

Not everyone is convinced. A taxi driver named Ben McMullan told the Guardian that traffic was definitely worse on the surrounding streets and that access was a major problem. He said he had already dropped off several passengers who struggled without a direct car route to the street, among them a mother with a stroller and a woman with walking difficulties, and he worried the change would cost him fares.

Neighboring roads are also expected to get busier, a point acknowledged by one shopper the Guardian interviewed.

What it means for cyclists

Bicycles are covered by the ban. The Guardian reported that security guards stopped many cyclists during the day. One rider, identified only as Jack because his name was changed, said he had no intention of following the rule and that a detour would lengthen his commute. He also objected to the change on principle, arguing that low-traffic neighborhoods make it harder for people who need vehicles.

Why it matters

Khan, whose first jobs were in retail on the street, said it had been in decline for the past couple of decades. He described the project as a proof of concept, arguing that investing in people rather than traffic leads to better foot traffic and spending. The closure arrives ahead of the busy Christmas shopping period after what the Guardian described as decades of discussion.

For businesses along the route, the central question is whether larger crowds translate into more sales, and whether customers who rely on taxis or buses will keep coming. Early reactions reported by the paper were mixed, and no data on spending or ridership has been released.

What happens next

The current step is the first phase. A bigger redevelopment of the street, a £150 million project that includes trees, seating and level plazas for events, is due to start taking shape from spring 2027. Khan said the permanent plans will depend on feedback from this first phase and on testing, and that London would closely monitor the changes to make sure they work for everyone.

Around Prague, based on reporting by The Guardian