East Reveals Designs as Oxford Street Closes to Traffic on 26 October

Oxford Street closes to traffic on 26 October, and London architecture studio East has released its latest renders showing how the famous shopping street will look once cars, buses, taxis and bikes are gone.

East is working with landscape architecture studio JL Gibbons and urban design studios Gehl and Publica on the first phase of the transformation. The phase covers roughly one kilometre between Orchard Street and Great Portland Street.

The images show wide, walkable streets lined with trees, benches and tables. Traffic on the section will be diverted to nearby roads from 26 October.

What happens in the first phase?

The first phase consists of temporary changes. Their purpose is to gather feedback on how visitors and residents use the open space, feedback that will shape the later permanent designs.

East director Julian Lewis said: "Stopping traffic on 26 October is just the beginning of the process, but from that day onwards we'll start to see a more welcoming and inclusive Oxford Street with new seating, new public spaces and plenty of trees in place by spring 2027."

Who is designing the rest of the street?

The remainder of Oxford Street, from Marble Arch to Tottenham Court Road, will be transformed by:

• architecture studio Hawkins\Brown
• design firms Aspect Studios and Urban Movement
• lighting designer Michael Grubb Studios
• heritage consultant Authentic Futures

The full transformation, expected to be completed by spring 2027, will add more than 50 trees, two public squares, improved signage, seating and dining tables.

Nabeel Khan, CEO of the Oxford Street Development Corporation, which is overseeing the project, said: "The first stage of works will see a test phase put in place, which is a vital opportunity for us to learn from people's experiences and work closely with local communities, businesses and accessibility groups to ensure the future street is as welcoming and inclusive as possible."

What does the mayor say?

London mayor Sadiq Khan welcomed the start of works. "I'm delighted that on 26 October the transformation of the nation's high street into a pedestrian plaza will begin in earnest – a world-class space where flagship retail will sit alongside next-generation workplaces, designed to host exciting retail and leisure experiences from sport to fashion and cultural events in the future," Khan said.

"Revitalising Oxford Street will help to supercharge regeneration, boosting jobs and economic growth in the capital and beyond," he continued. "I can't wait to start delivering these ambitious plans and unlocking the full potential of this iconic area as we continue building a greener, better, more prosperous London for everyone."

The pedestrianisation follows Khan's announcement last year that plans would move forward "as quickly as possible". He first announced a traffic-free Oxford Street in 2017, but Westminster Council blocked the original scheme in 2018.

With diversion routes set and a test phase planned, the 26 October closure marks the point at which eight years of contested proposals begin to take physical form on the street itself.