London's Oxford Street goes car-free as pedestrianisation begins

The pedestrianisation of Oxford Street in central London has begun. Cars, buses, taxis, bicycles and e-scooters are now banned along about a kilometre between Orchard Street and Great Portland Street, with buses diverted. Mayor Sadiq Khan visited retailers to promote the change, which aims to make the street safer and more welcoming ahead of Christmas.

Black cab drivers warn the restrictions could make access harder for disabled passengers. Other European capitals have similar schemes: in Paris, much of the Rue de Rivoli has been car-free since 2020 and now draws more than 20,000 cyclists a day, while in Brussels about 800 metres of Boulevard Anspach have been closed to cars since 2015.