MailOnline went out to put the issue to the public – and found that while some saw the dangers of the overcrowding that descends on the street with nearly 500,000 daily visitors, others complained that the plans would only exacerbate the traffic around the outskirts of the area.
Christian Pazanie, 28, was adamant it would improve business in the area, as he had already seen it happen successfully in Barcelona.
He said: ‘Yes 100%. I heard about when Barcelona repaved [its shopping high street] and got all the cars out and then business massively improved. I hate crossing the road on Oxford Street and there is always so much footfall through [here].
Similarly Richard Holiday, 74, added it would help to boost retail trade: ‘I think pedestrianisation would be generally very good for the retail trade and it would encourage people to use Oxford Street more. Rather than the out of town shopping centres.’
While others were more concerned about the safety of shoppers and residents in the area, as it is often prone to overcrowding and theft.
Christian Pazanie believes pedestrianising Oxford Street would improve business ‘massively’ after the government gave Sadiq Khan new powers to force through the £150million changes
Richard Holiday, 74, thinks pedestrianisation ‘would be generally very good for the retail trade’. Mr Khan wants work to start within two years to remove all vehicles from the famous shopping street
London Mayor Sadiq Khan today issued an artist’s impression of a pedestrianised Oxford Street based on plans drawn up in 2017. These are representative of the type of initial scheme that could be implemented – rather than being the actual plans for the redevelopment
Christmas shoppers walk along the pavement on a busy Oxford Street on December 23, 2023
Sean Atton, 41, said: ‘Having walked up here just now and the amount of cyclists who have nearly taken people out, then yes [i think it should be pedestrianised].
Poll
Should Oxford Street be pedestrianised?
- Yes 369 votes
- No 582 votes
His wife, Sophie, also 41, said: ‘I used to work in Selfridges and I used to walk this road a lot and it is definitely not very pleasant during rush hour so I think it would only be a positive.
‘And yes [it would help with crime]. I am definitely aware of my bag when walking down here. So to [pedestrianise] would make me feel safer for sure.’
The project is expected to cost around £150million, with City Hall officials hoping it could be paid for by a combination of local businesses, new revenue streams and private funders.
David O’Brian, 65, agreed that the plans are essential: ‘I think it is a very good idea because we can’t continue like this.
‘London is just coming to a complete stand still. People accept that people need to regain their city and get rid of the traffic and suddenly it becomes a much more enjoyable and liveable area.
David O’Brian, 65, said the plans are ‘essential’ as at the moment ‘London is just coming to a complete stand still’. This is despite warnings the area could become crime-ridden
Sean Atton (right) and his wife Sophie (left) both believe pedestrianisation would make Oxford street safer and ‘more pleasant’
Neil Pike, 53, emphasised how ‘busy and dangerous’ Oxford Street is with all the traffic moving around
An empty retail unit on Oxford Street, which is one of Europe’s busiest shopping regions
Oxford Street has seen a proliferation of US-style sweet shops popping up in recent years
An artist’s impression of a night-time view of Oxford Street if it were to be pedestrianised
‘So everyone can walk the street in peace and not worry about getting flattened by a double decker bus.’
The impact on cyclists of Mr Khan’s plan is not yet clear, with more detail on the plans awaited.
But the redevelopment is set to require 16 bus routes to be removed or diverted – including the 98 and 390 which run the full length of Oxford Street.
Neil Pike, 53, was confident that public transport would not be too badly affected by the plans as he told MailOnline: ‘I do [ think it should be pedestrianised]. We are now at a time when public transport is good enough and you can just see now it is busy and dangerous with all the traffic moving around.
‘With the bikes going by so many innocent victims get caught with phone snatching and worse. Absolutely [pedestrianising] will help.’
However, other people were not that accepting of the plans claiming it would cause chaos to the street surrounding the iconic shopping hub.
Sandra, however, claimed that the traffic adds life to the area and without it the whole place go a bit ‘sterile’
Brian, 71 claimed that traffic has always been ‘a part of London’ although it is a pain
Another artist’s impression of a pedestrianised Oxford Street from plans released in 2017
Friends Shahid and Aaron, both 19, said: ‘It would be bad for traffic, especially as this is a major hub for transport through London.’
While couple Sandra, 68 and Brian, 71 claimed that the traffic adds life to the area and without it the whole place go a bit ‘sterile’
They said: ‘No [it shouldn’t be pedestrianised]. It has always been like this, and I do like seeing the London buses.
‘I quite like it and when things become pedestrianised they go a bit sterile. Traffic is a pain but it is a part of London, it always has been.’
The plan will depend on Mr Khan gaining permission from Ms Rayner as housing, communities and local government secretary to establish a new Mayoral Development Corporation, which would provide planning powers and allow the mayor to overrule the now Labour-run Westminster City Council.