Oxford Street has \u201centered a new era\u201d, according to Transport for London, with one of Europe\u2019s busiest shopping streets now pedestrianised.\u00a0<\/p>\n
London Mayor Sadiq Khan said the changes to Oxford Street are \u201cmomentous\u201d for the capital and said it would create a \u201cvibrant destination\u201d for Londoners and visitors.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThere has been talk of pedestrianising Oxford Street for decades. After so many false dawns, and now working with a Government who share the scale of my ambition, I\u2019m proud that we\u2019re finally unlocking a new era for the street,\u201d he said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
About half of the 1.2-mile road between Orchard Street and Great Portland Street is now permanently closed to traffic. That includes buses, cars, taxis \u2013 and cycles.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Cycling consternation\u00a0<\/p>\n
The exclusion of cycles from the stretch of road has, maybe unsurprisingly, led to consternation from those willing to stoke the debate around cycling etiquette and cycling advocates.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The Standard jumped on the opportunity to highlight how cyclists were already breaking the rules. It went down to the newly pedestrianised street from 8am on Tuesday morning and counted 51 people cycling through the new gates and barriers.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The publication then published an article asking why the Met Police or TfL weren\u2019t fining any of the cyclists, ebike users and delivery riders travelling along the closed strip.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWhile some may be unaware of the new restrictions, others were seen getting back on their bikes after being told by Transport for London (TfL) staff to dismount,\u201d The Standard wrote, before adding that the approach appears to be to provide \u201cadvice and guidance\u201d rather than issuing fines.\u00a0<\/p>\n
It is understood that dockless ebike operators Lime, Forest and Voi have \u201cgeofenced\u201d the pedestrianised section of Oxford Street. If a rider attempts to travel through the area, the electric bike<\/a> or scooter motor will shut down.\u00a0<\/p>\n Cyclists who ignore Oxford Street\u2019s restrictions could face a \u00a3160 fine, reduced to \u00a380 if it’s paid within 14 days, according to TfL.<\/p>\n Yesterday, the transport body took to social media to remind cyclists of the new rules, sharing a picture of a sign that says \u201cPlease walk your bike\u201d.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cCycling is no longer permitted on the traffic-free section of Oxford Street between Orchard Street and Great Portland Street. We will maintain an active presence of enforcement officers.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cYou can continue your journey using the surrounding highway network and choose an alternative route from the nearby streets that remain open,\u201d TfL wrote on X.\u00a0<\/p>\n TfL advised that cyclists can find accessible routes through its London cycling map<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n Planning to cycle through the West End? \ud83d\udeb2<\/p>\n Cycling is no longer permitted on the traffic-free section of Oxford Street between Orchard Street and Great Portland Street. We will maintain an active presence of enforcement officers. <\/p>\n You can continue your journey using the\u2026 pic.twitter.com\/F6YkBgIDnj<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 TfL (@TfL) October 27, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n Parallel routes needed<\/p>\n The London Cycling Campaign (LCC) said on Monday that action should be taken to demand cycling routes parallel to Oxford Street.<\/p>\n \u201c[T]hese changes are great news, despite them meaning cycling is now banned from Oxford Street itself.<\/p>\n \u201cThis is a massive win on moves to reclaim West End space from motor vehicles and make the nation\u2019s iconic high street far better.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s the boldest thing the Mayor has done since ULEZ and it\u2019s a real shift in the way we treat central London,\u201d LCC said in a statement.\u00a0<\/p>\n LCC said that the pedestrianisation of Oxford Street is \u201cvery much what the Dutch would do\u201d but it added that \u201cunlike the Dutch, we don\u2019t have a low traffic central zone, and we don\u2019t have a viable and dense network of cycle routes that all connect already.<\/p>\n \u201cThe very real risk is that we don\u2019t end up with a much-needed broader low traffic west end, but a low cycling one instead.\u201d<\/p>\n LCC said that inaction on the issue could lead to some people stopping cycling, flouting the ban or finding \u201chaphazard routes\u201d through Marylebone and Mayfair.\u00a0<\/p>\n The charity highlighted how Westminster Council has already started building cycle tracks on George Street, north of Oxford Street, but said that the cycleways need to be double the length.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n Even if Oxford Street\u2019s pedestrianisation happened overnight, the cycling infrastructure needed around the busy shopping strip will take longer to build.\u00a0<\/p>\n In the meantime, it seems London\u2019s new bold project has become another flash point for debates around the capital\u2019s cycling boom<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n