Oxford Street Is About To Change Forever

One of London’s busiest streets is about to look very different.

From mid to late October 2026, around 0.9km of Oxford Street between Orchard Street and Great Portland Street including Oxford Circus is expected to become traffic-free during the day.

That means no regular cars, buses, taxis, bikes, scooters or pedicabs traveling along that section, while emergency access will remain and businesses will still be able to receive deliveries overnight. Traffic will still be able to cross Oxford Street at certain north-south junctions.

The idea is to create more room for walking, seating, greenery, shopping and events, turning Oxford Street into more of a pedestrian destination rather than simply a busy road.

There is one thing commuters should know: several bus routes around Oxford Street are being changed or diverted, and TfL has already begun preparatory road works in the area. Tube and rail services are expected to remain unaffected by those works.

This first version will effectively test how the new layout works, with reviews expected through spring 2027 before work progresses towards the permanent design.