Tories vow to stop Oxford Street pedestrianisation

[mumofoneAloneandwell]

https://www.google.com/amp/s/metro.co.uk/2026/05/08/tories-vow-block-150-000-000-oxford-street-revamp-central-london-council-win-28287239/amp/

Do you agree with them? For me, i'm not in favour. Not all disabled people use a wheelchair, some rely on the busses/taxis to see Oxford Steeet

So the minute its going to happen in London they suddenly give a shit. Its been happening everywhere else for years. Friend of mine has been sent by the NHS to an audiology appointment in Colchester town centre. Apparently if the barriers are up the taxi should be able to make it right to the door If not he faces trying to walk on the dodgy knee the NHS wont replace. He cant take his own car cos there is no parking

Oh how awful, i'm sorry for your friend

I didnt know it had happened elsewhere tbh! It's been happening loads in London, its just awful

At least London has rickshaws. Pretty sure they're allowed in pedestrian areas (or go there anyway even if not allowed)

They're doing away with them as well iirc

They charge a fortune anyway

Its the taxis I feel sorry for - they are vital for the mobility strugglers who want to get from a to b in the west end

Brilliant. I live in Westminster. Pedestrianising Oxford Street would create a traffic nightmare for locals like me.

Central London needs to be for residents and not just tourists

this wasn’t part of their election pledge but should have been

I voted Conservative despite very definitely not being a Tory. labour has been a disaster for Westminster

They are about to be regulated and do hopefully will vanish. They are a nightmare for traffic and residents.

ABBA being blasted outside your window at 2 am anyone

I mean - I agree with your point about pedestrianised areas

But the attempts to restrict london nightlife is shocking - noise outside of your window at 2am should be the norm 😭

Westminster had a Tory council for many years which was voted out at the last election. The labour council did not do a brilliant job tbh and went along with the Labour mayors plan to pedestrianise Oxford Street. Now the tories have regained the council they want to stop it. So it’s nothing to do with other areas or the national party

my biggest criticism of the current transport policy is the impact on buses - all of the anti car measures impact the buses. Bung a cycle lane in - ah, will have to get rid of the bus lane.

I am not a driver and I am unable to cycle to commute etc. I used to love the buses but they are just so slow now. It makes no sense taking the buses off lively wide Oxford street/regents street to put them through the back roads

Agree re the busses - the red bus makes Oxford Street iconic

Does Sadiq just want a pedestrianised ode to the American candy shops? 🙄

The rickshaws really impact on the buses on Regent Street. They congregate and pick up outside Hamleys and then cycle in and block the bus lane. They cause accidents as well

Yes they can be a menace

and don’t get me started on the lime bikes!!

People dump them outside my window despite a bay being very close by. They are picked up noisily at 2am. The van mounts the pavement and is often blaring out music

I pick them up and move them whilst they squawk at me

Just to join in but with a northern perspective they are ruining our city centres. At least London has decent public transport so you can get places. In Manchester the trams are OK but quite spaced out and the push to limit car lanes to pedestrianised and bike lanes is truly awful.

Yes - we are at least lucky in London to have the tube - Sadiq can’t mess with those routes or turn them into bike lines or low traffic neighbourhoods!

I don’t understand how they can’t think about better public transport. It always just seems to be replaced by bike lanes but there are so many people who just can’t use them or can’t walk longer distances.

I remember when they introduced the cycle superhighways - they go from outer to inner but no thought to people who travel across. It reminded me of something i read about the mysogyny of town planning. Assume people are going straight to work and that’s the most important thing. But for a lot of people (read women mainly) they are often doing a school run on the way or what not

It should be noisy at 2am outside of your house

But the limebikes are the worst

I dont like the rickshaws

Theyre so tacky as well, which might work in Times Square, but doesnt in London

They should have a classier look, be regulated

Why should it be noisy at 2am?

Frequent hop on hop of (not literally) buses should be the answer, with wheelchair access. And solar powered if possible. It's the length of the street that's the problem

Its Central London!

@mumofoneAloneandwell Seconded, why should it be noisy? Do you mean because people should be out and about?

This is happening everywhere by the way - I mean impractical restrictions on cars. It's really awful.

I bloody hate rickshaws, they should be banned from everywhere

Anyway, I don't really go into London much now so it should be irrelevant to me. I didn't go into Oxford Street for years when I lived there. However, the pedestrianisation would have affected me in terms of surrounding bus routes. It's going to be impossible to get the bus.

I've long thought that they actually want to get rid of buses in London.

But people seem to be quite happy with the mayor and his plans. I was genuinely surprised to see this result.

So? At 2 am on a Wednesday night I wouldn’t expect noise. And what part of central London? Oxford street and around soho/west end maybe (although 2am?) but Marylebone or Fitzrovia that are more residential?

I live in a residential area
it should not be noisy at 2am

before rickshaws and lime bikes the mating foxes were the only noise at 2am

I can’t stand Sadiq but I think pedestrianising Oxford St will be a game changer for businesses. It’s been in decline for so long.

Omg in a big city you should expect noise all the time!

Silence is what the suburbs and the countryside is for!

how?
what difference will it make?