New plans unveiled to ban traffic from London’s Oxford Street

Sadiq Khan has announced plans to prohibition cars connected London’s Oxford Street.

The world-famous shopping thoroughfare is known for its retailers and Christmas lights attracting immense crowds – rainfall oregon shine.

Now the London Mayor has revealed plans to halt postulation connected the iconic thoroughfare which sees astir 500,000 visitors each day.

If the program gets greenish airy from the London Assembly, the roadworthy could beryllium turned into a traffic-free pedestrianised avenue inspired by New York’s Times Square and Barcelona’s Las Ramblas.

The determination is portion of a bid to springiness Oxford Street ‘new lease of life’ aft it has ‘suffered hugely implicit the past decade, Khan said.

This is not the archetypal clip the mayor’s bureau has attempted to wide cars of Oxford Street – a erstwhile effort was blocked by then-Conservative-run Westminster City Council successful 2018.

Khan said: ‘Oxford Street was erstwhile the jewel successful the crown of Britain’s retail sector, but there’s nary uncertainty that it has suffered hugely implicit the past decade. Urgent enactment is needed to springiness the nation’s astir celebrated precocious thoroughfare a caller lease of life.

‘I americium excited to beryllium moving with the caller Government, and section retailers and businesses, connected these plans – that volition assistance to reconstruct this celebrated portion of the superior to its erstwhile glory, portion creating caller jobs and economical prosperity for the superior and the country.

‘I want Oxford Street to erstwhile again go the starring retail destination successful the world.’

He said the translation task volition beryllium ‘a starring example’ of the City Hall and the caller authorities moving unneurotic to ‘build a amended London for everyone.’

The connection has attracted enactment from the lawman Prime Minister Angela Rayner , who said the country needs a ‘boost’ on with John Lewis bosses.

Rayner said: ‘Oxford Street is simply a world-renowned buying destination and we privation it to enactment that way. By moving with the Mayor and section leaders, we tin guarantee it gets the boost it needs.”

‘This program to revitalise Oxford Street volition thrust maturation by creating caller jobs, generating economical activity, and giving a much-needed boost to London’s night-time economy.’

Peter Ruis, the enforcement manager for John Lewis, said the retailer was ‘delighted to spot the plans announced contiguous to transform ‘the nation’s precocious street’ and look guardant to welcoming adjacent much visitors to London’s West End.’

It comes much than 4 months aft Khan won the mayoral predetermination for a 2nd term.

Oxford Street has often been named arsenic 1 of the worst roads for contamination successful the UK. In 2014, researchers recovered that the nitrogen dioxide levels were much than 11 times higher than the EU harmless bounds of 40mg3.

Other London Mayors crossed the governmental disagreement person besides considered measures to alteration the look of Oxford Street, including erstwhile politician Boris Johnson.

Then-mayor Johnson told businesses successful 2016 helium was unfastened to considering banning buses and cars connected parts of the street, but ruled retired a afloat pedestrianisation, the Evening Standard reported.

All candidates successful the 2016 mayoral predetermination backed the thought of pedestrianising it.

The lates plans are taxable to a statutory consultation and support by the London Assembly.

Khan besides needs to get support from Rayner successful her relation arsenic the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government.

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