There is much to like about the mayor of London’s proposals for Oxford Street. The last decade has seen ambitious pedestrianisation schemes in other European cities. But the capital’s busiest shopping street has, until now, held out. Currently, about 16 different bus routes use it, although not private cars during the day. Diverting them, and turning this east-west artery into a walking zone to rival Barcelona’s Ramblas – as Sadiq Khan says is his aim – is an attractive prospect. Competition from internet retailers and London’s two giant Westfield centres means there is broad agreement that the West End must adapt to survive.
The street’s future is obviously of most pressing interest to Londoners. But Oxford Street is also a tourist destination, and the government’s approach to the public realm here has wider significance. An ambitious pedestrianisation scheme, with the aim of boosting spending, increasing rents and driving growth, has implications for other cities too.
