CARS will be banned from Oxford street under a plan to return it to its "former glory". The busy route has been described as "the jewel in the crown of Britain’s retail sector" but has suffered several high-profile closures in recent years. Retail experts have been warning of the death of the UK high street for years, with the pandemic only serving to accelerate moves towards online shopping.
And perhaps the most famous high street in the nation is about to undergo some radical changes. London Mayor Sadiq Khan has announced that a large chunk of Oxford Street will be pedestrianised as part of a £150 million redevelopment plan. Mr Khan said that "urgent action" was required to restore the street back to its "former glory" as the hub of British shopping.
The road boasts a string of vast superstores from top brands including Primark, John Lewis, M&S and Microsoft, as well as a host of luxury and designer outlets . However, it has also seen a number of significant store closures over the past few years as businesses struggle with top-dollar rents and rising costs. Franchises like Debenhams, Topshop and Miss Selfridge has all either relocated or disappeared entirely.
The Mayor now hopes to revitalise the area, finally managing to push through a plan first outlined in 2017 with the backing of the new deputy PM Angela Rayner. Under the scheme, around 0.7 miles of the route would be fully pedestrianised with no traffic allowed at all.
The restrictions are understood to include the.