Brief
London to close almost 1 km of Oxford Street to traffic from Oct 26
The first phase of the Oxford Street transformation will begin on Monday, October 26, with buses rerouted and traffic diverted.
By Felo News Desk · Published
Almost a kilometre of Oxford Street – from Orchard Street near Selfridges to Great Portland Street east of Oxford Circus – will be closed to general traffic on Monday, October 26 2026, according to Standard.
What happened
The mayor of London formally approved the traffic and highway changes on 26 February 2026. Work began over the weekend of 24‑25 October, and buses will stop running along the affected stretch from the evening of Sunday, 25 October. The closure marks the start of a phased pedestrianisation, not the final design.
What the reports add
Standard notes that the closure will affect private cars, taxis, private‑hire vehicles, bicycles, scooters and pedicabs, all of which will be diverted. It also clarifies that north‑south road crossings will remain open, and that the eastern segment beyond Great Portland Street will stay open to traffic. The article cites a public consultation in early 2025 in which 66 % of respondents supported pedestrianisation, while Westminster City Council raised concerns about displaced traffic and possible noise and pollution on surrounding streets.
What was said
The outlet does not provide direct quotations, but references Mayor Sadiq Khan’s original 2016 proposal and his September 2024 revival of the plan, which introduced a Mayoral Development Area and the Oxford Street Development Corporation to oversee the regeneration.
How it came about
Plans to reduce traffic on Oxford Street have been discussed by successive London administrations. The mayor first proposed pedestrianisation in his 2016 programme, and the idea was revived in September 2024 when Lord Khan announced a wider transformation. A public consultation in early 2025 showed majority support, leading to the February 2026 approval and the October 2026 start of the first phase.
Key facts
- Oxford Street will be closed to general traffic between Orchard Street and Great Portland Street from 26 Oct 2026. (standard.co.uk)
- Buses will cease running on the closed stretch from the evening of 25 Oct 2026. (standard.co.uk)
- The mayor approved the traffic changes on 26 Feb 2026. (standard.co.uk)
- 66 % of consultation respondents supported pedestrianisation in early 2025. (standard.co.uk)
- Westminster City Council expressed concerns about displaced traffic and noise. (standard.co.uk)
Timeline
- 2026-02-26 — Mayor Sadiq Khan formally approved traffic and highway changes for the first phase.
- 2026-10-24 — Road and bus changes began over the weekend.
- 2026-10-25 — Buses stopped running along the affected stretch from the evening.
- 2026-10-26 — Oxford Street pedestrianisation phase 1 begins.
Sources
- [1] standard.co.uk — originally reported as “Oxford Street is about to be transformed: Everything you need to know”
