Allowing cyclists to ride through a pedestrianised Oxford Street would make it “extremely unpleasant”, according to London’s walking and cycling commissioner.
Mayor Sir Sadiq Khan wants to pedestrianise the western section of the street, between Oxford Circus and Selfridges, and said last year that cyclists would be banned.
The road is currently well-used by cyclists, partly because there are no direct east-west alternative routes through that part of the West End.
Will Norman, the mayor’s cycling tsar, told a London Assembly inquiry into the proposals on Wednesday: “Having thousands of cyclists going through a new pedestrianised area would not bring all these benefits that we want to see along Oxford Street.
“I think it would make it an extremely unpleasant pedestrianised area if you had 4,000 cyclists moving through there.”
Absolutely! It would also be extremely unpleasant cycling on a pedestrianised Oxford Street - that's why we're working with Westminster Council on the cycling network in the wider area. https://t.co/98FR06Sved
— Will Norman (@willnorman) April 2, 2025
The assembly is analysing Sir Sadiq’s wish to establish a mayoral development corporation to oversee a series of changes to Oxford Street that he believes would make it more attractive to visitors and boost it economically.
It was told that cyclists could however be allowed to use Oxford Street “out of hours” as it is likely that there will not be a “blanket” ban on vehicles that applied round the clock.
David Rowe, TfL’s director of infrastructure planning, said: “The other consideration, not only for cyclists, but more generally for access to Oxford Street, is that this is not going to be a blanket area where nobody is allowed.
“We still need to make provision for loading and servicing [businesses] in Oxford Street. It may well be that, at certain hours over the nighttime period, that that takes place.
“Similarly you could envisage that that would allow other users such as cyclists back on to the route during these times.”
An advisory cycle route already exists north of Oxford Street but this is only segregated from vehicles in small sections and is indirect.
Westminster council is looking to create a new cycle route on George Street in Marylebone, north of Oxford Street.
The council and TfL recognise that if buses are diverted off Oxford Street onto Wigmore Street and Mortimer Street then these roads would become less popular with cyclists.
Simon Munk, from the London Cycling Campaign, told The Standard after the meeting: “TfL's own strategic cycling analysis shows how important cycle routes are here - it says there are four high quality cycle routes needed in the vicinity not one.
“But so far TfL and Westminster council's answer appears to be a weak and wiggly route far north of the 'desire line'.
“To be clear, the only viable alternative to cycle tracks on Oxford Street is high quality, high capacity and fairly direct routes both sides of Oxford Street, and close to it.
“More, the Oxford Street scheme will by its nature, force a conversation about the areas either side of it and the motor traffic levels they face. A double win would be to remove through traffic both sides and that could deliver cycle routes too.”
Mr Rowe said the problem of how to divert the 16 bus routes that use Oxford Street had become less of an issue since a failed attempt was made in 2017 to pedestrianise the street.
In 2017 there were 130 buses per hour between Selfridges and Regent Street. That had fallen to 35 buses an hour, Mr Rowe said – largely as a result of how the Elizabeth line, which has stations on Oxford Street at Tottenham Court Road and Bond Street, had transformed public transport connections.
Mr Norman came under intense questioning from Tory committee chair Andrew Boff about the mayor’s plans to establish a mayoral development corporation, which would effectively take transport and planning powers – and income raising powers – away from Westminster council and Camden council.
Mr Norman said the mayor had put forward his own plans for Oxford Street because the street was “failing to live up to its full potential”. He said improving Oxford Street would be a “catalyst” for the wider area.
Asked by Mr Boff whether Labour-run Westminster council had “screwed up”, Mr Norman replied: “I don’t think at the moment that Westminster council has screwed up anything.”
He added: “The plans that were brought forward by Westminster City Council did not include pedestrianising the street…. This is not a land grab.”
Mr Boff said: “It appears to me you don’t thing Westminster council was doing its job properly. I’m just trying to find what it is they screwed up, what it is they did wrong?”
Mr Norman replied: “Historically there has been a missed opportunity. We don’t believe that the plans that were being brought forward went far enough.”
Mr Boff said the mayor had failed to make clear how much it would cost to run a development corporation.
The MDC is likely to require a loan from the Greater London Authority and would look to claim the proceeds from S106 planning agreements and community infrastructure levies imposed on developers in the area, Mr Norman accepted.
Mr Boff said: “We don’t know exactly what the pedestrianisation scheme is, and we don’t know much it is going to cost – but you want us to give you the powers in order to carry out the scheme?”
He said the “in principle” nature of the consultation - which would have to be followed by a second consultation setting out the funding for the MDC and what would happen with bus routes - was a “red herring” and added: “It’s about handing over Oxford Street to the mayor. That is the principle.”
Fellow assembly member Alex Wilson, from the Reform party, warned that City Hall was preparing to “open the cheque book to quite a significant cost” and added: “All Londoners will be responsible for footing the bill.”
