Oxford Street has been permanently closed to traffic for the first time in its history, a move that took effect on a wet and windy autumn morning and marks a new era for the nation's most famous high street.
The change, which came just in time for the busy Christmas shopping period, means the roar of engines has been replaced by the sound of people talking and laughing, and the air feels cleaner without exhaust fumes. Pedestrians can now walk anywhere along the street without jostling for space on the pavement.
A new dawn for a struggling high street
On the first day of the school holidays, Oxford Street was full of families out for the day. The pedestrianisation ends an era when parents had to hug their children close to protect them from passing buses and taxis.
The move is significant for both the capital and the country. Recent data shows Oxford Street generates 1% of the UK's total economic output.
In recent years, the street has struggled. The rise of online shopping was already a colossal challenge, but the impact of the pandemic made the situation much worse. As footfall fell, good shops shut, only to be replaced by stores selling vapes and cheap American candy.
Transforming Oxford Street into a world-class destination
Oxford Street's story is one of thousands unfolding in communities across the country, where high streets have been hollowed out after decades of decline. The plan to turn things around involves bringing big brands and new life back to the nation's high street.
Household names like Ikea, Puma and Clarks have already invested in new stores, but this is only the beginning. The vision is to make Oxford Street a place people choose to come back to again and again, offering an experience they can't get online.
Oxford Street has a long history of change. Once a Roman road, then a route to the Tyburn Gallows, it was where the modern-day department store was born and where London began to rebuild itself after the destruction of the Blitz.
Overcoming the naysayers
In the 10 years leading up to the change, plenty of people said pedestrianising Oxford Street couldn't be done. One predecessor once said it would be "foolish". But the move has gone ahead, with the aim of restoring pride in a street that many Brits no longer feel proud of.
The message to the country is that Oxford Street will be turned into something even better, creating a place every Brit can be proud of, with Christmas around the corner providing the perfect time to come and see it for yourself.
