Oxford Street pedestrianisation could shake investor confidence and cause crime spike, City Hall warned

An artist’s impression of a pedestrianised Oxford Street in central London (Mayor of London/PA) - (PA Media)

Sir Sadiq Khan’s plan to pedestrianise Oxford Street could blight local investment, cause an uptick in crime, and “destroy” the area if mismanaged, City Hall was warned on Wednesday.

The London Assembly was told by Tim Lord, chair of the Soho Society’s executive committee, that the mayor’s proposal had created uncertainty for developers and that pedestrianisation on a nearby street had previously led to an increase in criminal offences.