All Vehicles To Be Banned In London Oxford Street By 2020

Work on the 1.2-mile stretch of road will be rolled out in two stages to keep disruption to the minimum, deputy mayor for transport Valerie Shaw-cross told the London Assembly.

Oxford Street is to be pedestrianised by 2020, the Mayor of London has announced.

The central London street is one of London's busiest shopping areas.

New Mayor Sadiq Khan's plan will mean all vehicles being banned from Tottenham Court Road right up to beyond department store Selfridges and the entrance to Bond Street Tube.

Currently cars are banned on most of Oxford Street between 7am and 7pm except for Sundays, but it remains a major thoroughfare for buses and taxis.

The ban will be coming into force in the eastern section first, from Oxford Circus onwards.

The move is part of a commitment from Mr Khan - who took over in May from new Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson in May - to tackle air pollution in the city.

Mr Khan has already said he will introduce a charge for the most polluting of vehicles.

The pedestrianisation will coincide with the opening of Crossrail, the new train line that will cross London from east to west.