Oxford Street Goes Car-Free in Four Days

London's most famous shopping street, Oxford Street, enters a landmark new phase from Monday 26 October 2026, when nearly one kilometre of the road — from Orchard Street near Selfridges to Great Portland Street, including Oxford Circus junction — will be closed to private vehicles. The Mayor of London's initiative begins with a "live testing phase" running through spring 2027, during which temporary seating, planters, raised carriageway sections and security bollards have already been installed. Ten bus routes (7, 94, 98, 139, 390, N7, N98, N113, N137 and N207) are being rerouted away from the affected section, and cycling will also be prohibited on the pedestrianised strip. Mayor Sadiq Khan envisions the space hosting "world-class events, from sport to culture and fashion." Permanent changes, including more than 50 new trees and 100 new seats, are planned by spring 2027. Feedback from businesses and visitors during the testing phase will inform the permanent scheme, expected to complete later in 2027, led by the Oxford Street Development Corporation.