Politics · United Kingdom · 3 hrs ago
Cyclists and traffic disrupt Oxford Street pedestrian scheme
London Mayor Sadiq Khan has introduced a pedestrian zone on a 0.9km stretch of Oxford Street in central London.
The scheme began on Monday and bars cars, buses, taxis and bikes from the street.
But cyclists have continued riding through the zone, weaving among shoppers despite guards telling them to get off and walk.
Cab driver Bahrain Mujagata says traffic has built up on nearby roads, including Regent Street, and added 20 minutes to some journeys.
Khan’s plan aims to make the busy shopping street more pleasant for pedestrians, but the disruption has raised concerns about how traffic is being redirected.
New signs ask cyclists to dismount, and guards are enforcing the rules, though the account describes mixed results.
Oxford Street’s new pedestrian scheme has faced reports of cyclists riding through the zone and traffic backing up on nearby roads.
The scheme closed Oxford Street to cars, bikes, buses and taxis from Monday morning.
Black cab driver Bahrain Mujagata said congestion on Regent Street had made journeys harder and added time to some trips.
Mujagata said he was not opposed to pedestrianising Oxford Street in principle, but did not support the way the scheme had been carried out.
Security guards and new signs told cyclists to dismount and walk through the zone, with mixed results.
- Who
- London Mayor Sadiq Khan introduced the scheme. Cyclists and drivers have been affected.
- What
- A pedestrian scheme on Oxford Street has faced reports of cyclists riding through the zone and congestion on nearby roads.
- When
- It began on Monday morning. The article was published on 30 October 2026.
- Where
- Oxford Street and surrounding roads in central London, including Regent Street.
- Why
- Khan’s vision was to make Oxford Street a pedestrian area. The article does not state the full rationale for the scheme.
Sadiq Khan
Bahrain Mujagata
Purpose of the scheme
Sadiq Khan
Khan’s vision was to make Oxford Street a peaceful pedestrian area.
Bahrain Mujagata
Mujagata said he was not against pedestrianisation in principle, but said this scheme was not the way forward.
Effects on nearby roads
Sadiq Khan
The article describes the plan as expecting surrounding roads to handle traffic after Oxford Street was closed to vehicles.
Bahrain Mujagata
Mujagata said Regent Street had become crowded and that journeys were taking longer.
Mayor Sadiq Khan stood in the centre of Oxford Street for photographs.
Oxford Street was closed to cars, bikes, buses and taxis.
Videos showed cyclists riding through the zone among pedestrians.
Signs were installed asking cyclists to dismount and walk through the zone.
- Pedestrianised stretch
- 0.9km
- Start of closure
- Monday morning
- Nearby road cited
- Regent Street
- Cab driver
- Bahrain Mujagata, 21
- Scheme’s mayor
- Sadiq Khan
What people are saying
Yesterday, I felt the real-time repercussions—there was so much traffic on Regent Street with nowhere else to go. Sitting through traffic that I used to bypass makes life much harder.
We will evolve and get used to it, like whenever they change a road or turn. But drivers who knew how it was before will always remember.