An initial stretch of London's Oxford Street becomes traffic-free from Monday, 26 October 2026, under the first phase of the street's pedestrianisation. The Oxford Street Development Corporation says the Mayor of London announced the date on 28 September, and ITV News reported that almost a kilometre of the shopping street, between Orchard Street and Great Portland Street, will be closed to vehicles.

What changes on the street

The traffic-free stretch covers about 0.9 kilometres from Orchard Street, near Selfridges, to Great Portland Street, including the Oxford Circus junction with Regent Street. Cars, buses, taxis, private hire vehicles, cycles, scooters and pedicabs are barred from the section, while emergency vehicles, street cleaning and refuse collection keep access. Some cross streets, including Duke Street, Davies Street, Vere Street, New Bond Street and Holles Street, still carry traffic across Oxford Street, with some limited to one direction.

Buses and visitors

Bus routes 7, 94, 98, 139 and 390 are among those affected, along with some night buses, and traffic will be diverted onto nearby roads. Visitors are advised to arrive by Tube or Elizabeth line, or to allow a short walk from nearby bus stops. The changes are temporary at first, so real-time data can shape the permanent design, with new squares, seating and trees planned by the end of spring 2027.