Oxford Street event to showcase transformative potential of pedestrianisation

The central section of London’s Oxford Street, arguably the nation’s most famous high street, will go traffic-free on Sunday 21 September to host a one-off event offering a glimpse of how the street could work if fully pedestrianised.

‘This is Oxford Street’ will see part of the road free of traffic from 12pm until 8pm for the first event of its kind, giving Londoners and visitors a glimpse of what the street could look like in the future. The event will bring together fashion, food, music, sport, music, heritage and community in one place, showcasing the best of Oxford Street’s past, present and potential future.

City Hall is working in close partnership with shops and venues on Oxford Street, with details of the day’s activities to be announced shortly.

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said, “I’m excited to announce our landmark ‘This is Oxford Street’ event which will offer Londoners, visitors, and businesses a glimpse of what the nation’s high street could look like in the future.

“This is a fantastic opportunity to see Oxford Street in a whole new light, traffic-free, full of music, great food, pop-ups and entertainment for everyone. As Mayor, I’m determined to unlock Oxford Street’s true potential and deliver a world-class, accessible, clean, avenue.

Emma Strain, Director of Customer at Transport for London, said, “Oxford Street is an iconic location and this event will be like nothing the West End has ever seen. Served by a number of Tube lines, the Elizabeth line and local bus services, customers will be able to visit and experience a traffic-free Oxford Street and the range of live music, food markets and pop-up events with well-known brands taking place throughout the day.”

A public consultation report published by the Greater London Authority in June 2025 showed almost seven in 10 Londoners and businesses expressed support for the Mayor’s proposed interventions to regenerate Oxford Street, while two-thirds were supportive of the pedestrianisation idea specifically.

Detailed traffic and highway proposals are currently being developed to pedestrianise the road between Orchard Street and Oxford Circus up to Great Portland Street.

Oxford Street makes an estimated annual contribution of £25bn to London’s economy, but it has suffered for a variety of reasons from the pandemic to the growth of online shopping and retail parks.

In a bid to reverse its fortunes Mayor Khan wants to establish a Mayoral Development Corporation (MDC) dedicated to regenerating the area and ultimately making Oxford Street a world-leading urban space for shopping, leisure and outdoor events. Following support from the London Assembly in July 2025, the Mayor is working with Government to make the necessary legislation for the MDC to be established by 1 January 2026.