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Traffic-free Oxford St a hit with shops and shoppers
Last updated at 11:08am on 04.12.06
Street trading: shoppers fill Oxford Street, free of cars and buses
More than a million shoppers enjoyed a traffic-free West End after buses and cars were banned from Oxford Street and Regent Street for the first time.
Street performances including acrobats, bagpipes and Santas entertained the crowds as one of London's most notorious congestion hotspots filled with people rather than traffic.
Launching the event from the centre of Oxford Circus on Saturday, Mayor Ken Livingstone said: "One day, in the nottoo-distant future, we will be transforming the whole of Oxford Street, with a tram running right down the centre.
"This will make it a much more pleasant place to shop and turn it into a world-class shopping destination to rival the Champs-Elysées in Paris and Fifth Avenue in New York."
Most retailers and shoppers said the day had been a great success, with stores reporting strong sales and huge rises in customer numbers. However, passengers faced confusion as buses were re-routed along back streets. There were complaints that shoppers had been left without directions and were unable to find the temporary bus stops.
Mark Taylor, manager of Boots in Oxford Street, said: "I've been in retail for 15 years and Saturday was one of the best days in retailing I can ever remember.
"The West End was completely buzzing. It would be impossible to get rid of transport in Oxford Street altogether, so I think a tram would be an excellent middle ground."
Jace Tyrell, of the New West End Company, which organised the event and aims to boost trade in the area, said: "It shows what Oxford Street could achieve if it was treated as a destination and not as a thoroughfare."
Reader views (10)
Here's a sample of the latest views published. You can click view all to read all views that readers have sent in.
it was smashing to be able to shop with my wife and not have to worry about mad bus & taxi drivers hell bent in terminating us either with their vehicles or exhausts. We have the trams in Manchester so a tram would be a beezer of a way to move people up and down the street so digitus extractus and get those rails laid!
- James Harkins, warrington cheshire
Ted: pedestrianisation on Oxford Street isn't targetting the motorist, as cars are already banned on most of the road. It's targetting buses and taxis.
Daniel: the plan for the Christmas pedestrianisation was announced by TfL months ago -- how much notice do you need? Or do you mean that the problem is that you personally weren't notified, and if so then how do you think TfL should notify you?
- Mike Scott, London, UK
I agree with Vicky in that on Saturday they should have made better arrangements for Oxford Circus tube station, it was scary how many people tried to get in at the same time. The tram would be a good idea, it works in cities like Amsterdam, Helsinki, Melbourne, why would it not work in London? I rather look out for one or 2 trams coming from either way with a warning bell ringing than at the moment for the buses and taxi's that race around. For the rest I thoroughly enjoyed the live music (especially the band in front of John Lewis), this should be a regular feature in December! And surprisingly the shops weren't as busy as could have been!
- Anne, London
16°c
