Finally, it’s happening.
asserted
it → happen → ?
After years of political disputes and mooted, promoted, criticised and scrapped proposals, Oxford Street will at last be pedestrianised on Monday, October 26 — or at least, some of it will be.
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some → moot → it
In the first phase, almost a kilometre of the 1.9km shopping street will be shut to traffic: from Orchard Street to Great Portland Street.
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kilometre → shut → Street
All being well, the eastern and western ends should follow suit in later phases.
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ends → follow → phases
For the newly pedestrianised “boulevard”, too, this is not the end game.
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this → pedestrianise → boulevard
What will happen initially is that cars, buses, vans and lorries will be barred.
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cars → happen → ?
That’s it.
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That → ’ → ?
Anyone expecting to see beautifying street furniture must wait until the busy Christmas retail season is over, when the Oxford Street Development Corporation and its partners have had a chance to absorb the feedback and observe how shoppers, visitors and business users respond to the traffic-free zone.
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shoppers → expect → zone
The long-promised transformation — adding seating, planters and trees — should happen next year.
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transformation → promise → seating
Confusingly, it does not mean traffic will disappear entirely from the barred part — several north-south connections will remain open, allowing drivers to cross Oxford Street.
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drivers → mean → Street
Emergency vehicles will have access at all times and arrangements are being made for other essential services.
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arrangements → have → services
Vans and lorries will be able to drive to businesses during specified night-time hours.
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Vans → drive → hours
To all intents and purposes, however, ordinary cars, buses, taxis, private hire vehicles, bicycles, scooters and pedicabs will not be allowed to travel along the central portion of Oxford Street, which includes some of London’s most famous stores.
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which → allow → stores
The step represents the beginning rather than the end of efforts to boost footfall
The initiative represents a significant development in the life of the West End and the capital.
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initiative → represent → End
One of the world’s best-known streets will be pedestrians-only.
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One → know → streets
The step represents the beginning rather than the end of efforts to boost footfall in the prime retail street by making it more attractive and safer for shoppers.
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it → represent → shoppers
The transformation has been discussed on-and-off for decades, but the idea hardened when London Mayor Lord Khan proposed pedestrianisation in his 2016 election manifesto.
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Khan → discuss → manifesto
A row ensued with Westminster city council, which opposed the policy.
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which → ensue → policy
Khan’s idea was withdrawn in 2017 but was revived seven years later, amid the introduction of a broader vision for the West End.
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idea → withdraw → End
City Hall effectively froze out the council by awarding enhanced powers to the newly created Mayoral Development Area and Oxford Street Development Corporation.
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Hall → freeze → Area
Khan’s position was bolstered by a public consultation, which received a 66 per cent positive response.
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which → bolster → response
He brushed aside objections from councillors about the risk of displaced vehicles clogging the surrounding streets and approved the pedestrianisation on February 26 this year.
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vehicles → brush → February
It has taken exactly eight months to bring that decision to fruition — and it may come not a moment too soon.
uncertain
it → take → fruition
In recent years, the street has been dogged by controversy around the prevalence of American candy outlets, vaping stores and tourist-trap discount shops.
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street → dog → outlets
Crime has been a recurring concern.
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Crime → recur → ?
Some of the once grand names have gone or are shadows of their former selves.
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Some → go → selves
Oxford Street is not what it was and in places has a rundown air.
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it → have → air
As if to underline that message, the pedestrianisation coincided with news that HMV is to shut its flagship store — one of the street’s landmark buildings — next March, barely three years after it reopened.
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it → underline → buildings
The entertainment retailer first opened there in 1921, closing in 2019 when HMV hit financial difficulties.
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HMV → open → difficulties
The reopening was a pivotal occasion, signifying the rebirth of HMV and with it, a possible renaissance for Oxford Street.
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reopening → signify → Street
Phil Halliday, managing director of HMV, said: “This is a special store, it’s where we began 100 years ago and bringing it back to life in 2023 was a big moment in our recent history.”
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bringing → say → history
But, as well as a big rental increase, the group faced a substantial bill for renovations, which combined to make the shop “commercially unviable”.
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shop → face → renovations
Needs must — and now it is going.
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it → go → ?
“Following strong support from Londoners and businesses, I’m excited to see my bold vision for Oxford Street really coming to life… as we start going traffic-free, just in time for the busy Christmas shopping period,” he said.
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he → follow → period
“I’m delighted that on October 26 the transformation of the nation’s high street into a pedestrian plaza will begin in earnest — a world-class space where flagship retail will sit alongside next-generation workplaces, designed to host exciting retail and leisure experiences from sport to fashion and cultural events in the future.
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retail → ’m → future
There may be 66 per cent favourability but that leaves a solid third against
That said, there is no doubt the step represents a gamble.
uncertain
step → leave → gamble
That is why caution is still being urged — this is officially referred to as the “transition phase” and very much focused on assessing and live testing.
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this → urge → phase
Read More
There may be 66 per cent favourability but that leaves a solid third against.
uncertain
that → read → third
The Mayor argues air quality and pedestrian safety will also improve.
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quality → argue → ?
His team points to Ulez zones, where analysis from Imperial College London shows an estimated 40 per cent drop in air pollution-related deaths from 2019 to 2024.
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analysis → point → 2024
…and 23 more, not listed.
The Aporia
