Spending at Oxford Street stores rose 28 per cent year on year in the first week after part of the street was closed to traffic, according to figures published by the Mayor of London on 9 November.
Since 26 October, the stretch between Orchard Street and Great Portland Street has been closed to private vehicles, buses, taxis, private hire vehicles, cycles, scooters and pedicabs. It is the first stage of a phased programme, with little construction planned before Christmas.
Spending
Payments data from Adyen shows:
- Spending at the Oxford Street stores in its year-on-year comparison rose from around £2.9m to £3.7m.
- In-store transactions rose 19 per cent on a like-for-like basis, against both the previous week and the same week last year.
- The average transaction rose 7 per cent, from £100 to £107.
- Transactions on nearby Regent Street rose 1 per cent year on year.
Footfall
City Hall’s High Streets Data Service compared the first week with October 2025 half-term:
- Footfall in the traffic-free section rose 16 per cent.
- International visitors rose 42 per cent and domestic visitors 14 per cent.
- Visits to the wider Oxford Street area after 6pm rose 19 per cent.
- Visitors stayed 5 per cent longer on average.
- The wider Oxford Street area averaged 292,835 visitors a day, up 9 per cent.
Transport for London recorded more entries and exits at Oxford Circus and Bond Street stations, and found no significant overall change in traffic speeds on surrounding roads.
The scheme is being delivered by the Mayor and the Oxford Street Development Corporation. The first week coincided with October half-term.
Dee Corsi, chief executive of the New West End Company, said Christmas will be “a crucial early test” for pedestrianisation in practice.
Nationally, footfall softened in October, according to MRI Software.
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