Pedestrianisation of Oxford Street has been talked about for decades but it is now finally set to become a reality. From 26 October, almost a kilometre of the nation’s high street will be closed to traffic as part of a wider push to regenerate the area.
Our latest What Next for London? podcast examines what pedestrianisation will mean in practice for businesses, visitors and residents that use Oxford Street. We also explore how these hotly debated plans fit into a wider vision for other parts of the West End and what else is needed to drive growth in an area that is an economic powerhouse for the whole country.
The discussion features expert insight from three people who are at the very heart of the future of Oxford Street and the West End: Nabeel Khan, Chief Executive, Oxford Street Development Corporation; Dee Corsi, Chief Executive, New West End Company; and Cllr Paul Swaddle, Leader, Westminster City Council.
Running order:
- Introduction (0:01)
- What should pedestrianisation of Oxford Street look like? (2:37)
- Working together to deliver (17:32)
- The wider West End (22:59)
- What else is needed? (29:55)
- The role of devolution (36:24)
- West End hot spots (40:43)
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