Overview
- All traffic, including cyclists, will be banned on the stretch between Oxford Circus and Marble Arch, with access maintained for emergencies and timed service deliveries between midnight and 07:00.
- TfL plans to divert or curtail up to 15 bus routes, shift services onto nearby streets such as Wigmore Street and Regent Street, and allow north–south crossings to remain open in blocks.
- Major retailers and business groups back the scheme, and a one‑day trial last September saw roughly a 25% rise in nearby Tube usage with many stores reporting similar or higher sales.
- Residents’ groups and taxi representatives object over disabled and older people’s access, potential congestion and noise on side streets, and risks of crime and anti‑social behaviour.
- City Hall secured a Mayoral Development Corporation and transferred road control to TfL to deliver the project, which is estimated to cost about £150 million with hopes of private co‑funding.