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A kilometre-long section of Oxford Street between Great Portland Street and Orchard Street became pedestrian-only on Monday, barring cyclists from the shopping street. London Cycling Campaign supports reducing motor traffic but says Westminster Council has not delivered high-quality parallel cycling routes quickly enough; the council’s plans and timetable for those routes are not stated in the source report.
A kilometre-long stretch of Oxford Street between Great Portland Street and Orchard Street became pedestrian-only on Monday, ending cyclists’ access to a major central London route. London Cycling Campaign (LCC) supports removing motor traffic from the street but says Westminster Council has not acted quickly enough to provide parallel cycle routes for riders who used it.
The new restriction applies to the section between Great Portland Street and Orchard Street, rather than the whole of Oxford Street. Delivery and service vehicles may still use the pedestrianised stretch between midnight and 7am. The source report says mobility scooters are the only other wheeled vehicles permitted during the day; cyclists are not allowed to ride through the section.
LCC said it welcomes reclaiming West End space from motor vehicles and supports the pedestrianisation. But the charity also said that thousands of people cycled along Oxford Street daily, citing traffic counts, and argued that riders now need safe routes around the restricted area. That number is the campaign’s reported account; the source does not provide the counts, their dates or a detailed methodology.
The campaign has set up a form on its website for supporters to contact Westminster Council and request new routes. The source report does not give a council response to LCC’s criticism or confirm a route plan, funding decision or delivery date.
Cyclists Need Routes Around Oxford Street
The change removes a direct cycling route through one of central London’s busiest shopping areas. Riders who previously used the street must now find another way around the pedestrian-only section. LCC says safe nearby routes are needed for people travelling through the West End.
LCC supports reducing motor traffic and says the broader ambition should be a low-traffic West End. The campaign’s concern is that cycling access has not been addressed alongside the street closure. The source report does not identify alternative routes or measure whether riders face longer journeys or unsuitable routes as a result.
Plans include new seating, planting and public squares that could host events. LCC’s request is for safe cycling routes around the section rather than cycling through the pedestrianised area.
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A Long-Discussed Street Change
Oxford Street pedestrianisation has been discussed for years and, according to Cycling Weekly, had previous false starts. The current plan proceeded after a supportive consultation last year, although the source report does not give consultation figures or explain how responses were counted.
The current restriction covers a defined central section, not the entire shopping street. Its operating rules retain overnight access for delivery and service vehicles, from midnight to 7am, while excluding cyclists during the pedestrian-only period. The report does not specify the rules for every adjoining street or describe signed diversion routes.
On the day the restriction began, mainstream media reported cyclists riding through despite the new designation, according to Cycling Weekly. That reporting indicates that some riders continued to use the street, but it does not establish how many did so or whether enforcement action followed.
““LCC is supportive of the new pedestrianised Oxford Street.””
— London Cycling Campaign
Alternative Routes Remain Unspecified
The source report does not say whether Westminster Council has approved or scheduled parallel cycle routes, or whether temporary diversions are available. It also does not include a council response to LCC’s claim that action has been too slow.
The scale and effects of the cycling change are not independently detailed in the material provided. LCC cites thousands of daily riders, but the underlying traffic counts, measurement period and comparison basis are not included. The report also gives no information about enforcement, rider experiences after the restriction began, or whether the arrangement will be reviewed.
Council Response and Route Plans
The immediate issue is whether Westminster Council will set out safe, usable routes around the pedestrianised section and when any improvements could be delivered. LCC is asking supporters to contact the council through its online form. The source report does not identify a council deadline or a scheduled decision.
Work on the street is expected to include seating, planting and public squares, with some spaces intended for events. The report does not provide a construction timetable. Further information from the council could clarify the progress of the public-space plans and cycling arrangements around the closed section.
Key Questions
Which part of Oxford Street is pedestrian-only?
The restriction covers a kilometre-long stretch between Great Portland Street and Orchard Street. The source report does not say that all of Oxford Street is closed to vehicles.
Can cyclists ride through the pedestrianised section?
No. The report says cyclists are not permitted on the pedestrian-only stretch. It says delivery and service vehicles may use it from midnight to 7am, and identifies mobility scooters as the only other wheeled vehicles allowed.
What is London Cycling Campaign asking for?
LCC supports the pedestrianisation but is calling for safe parallel cycle routes so riders can travel around the closed section. It says thousands of people cycled along Oxford Street daily, citing traffic counts that are not reproduced in the report.
Has Westminster Council announced alternative routes?
The source report does not identify an approved route plan, a council response to LCC, or a timetable for new cycling infrastructure. Those details remain unclear.
Source: rss
