Half off buses on Oxford Street could be cut

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The number of buses currently using Oxford Street could be cut by almost half under a new scheme to pedestrianise Britain’s busiest shopping street.

Mayor Sadiq Khan has promised to remove vehicles from Oxford Street by 2020, Transport for London (TfL) announced the news today with 23 routes to be changed.

Buses will either be re-routed away from Oxford Street or will have routes cut short, with some ending at Marble Arch or in Bloomsbury.

Khan wants to make these changes to help with pedestrian safety and reduce air pollution.

TfL says with the opening of Crossrail in 2018, there will be alternative routes for people to get to Oxford Street.

As well as this there has been a huge fall in people using the bus services in central London. One of these routes, the 73, has seen a huge 11 per cent drop this year compared to 2011.

Jace Tyrrell, chief executive of the business group New West End Company, welcomed the news and told the Standard: “We welcome Transport for London’s proposal to reduce the number of buses across the West End, which will greatly help reduce congestion and improve air quality in London’s retail heartland.”

“Ahead of the arrival of the Elizabeth line in 2018, which is expected to bring 60 million visits to the West End annually, it is essential that there is genuine traffic reduction to ensure the West End retains its position as a world class retail destination.”