London set to ban vehicles from Oxford Street
City's famous shopping area will be pedestrianised by 2020
- Move is part of mayor Sadiq Khan's plans to reduce air pollution
- All cars, buses and taxis will be banned from the shopping street
Updated : 16:52
Oxford Street is set to become a vehicle-free zone as part of London mayor Sadiq Khan's new plans to reduce pollution in the capital.
One of the world's most famous shopping streets will become pedestrianised from 2020, including the banning of all buses and taxis
The plan, reported in The Times, is part of Khan’s commitment to tackle air pollution in the city. He has already pledged to introduce a charge for the most polluting vehicles.
More than four million people walk down Oxford Street each week and City Hall said the project would be developed in two parts to reduce disruption on the 1.2-mile street.
At the moment, cars are banned from the street during the day until 7pm during the week. The ban will be first implemented on the eastern section, from Oxford Circus onwards, according to London's deputy mayor for transport Valerie Shawcross.
Mayor Khan has already pledged to introduce a charge for the most polluting vehicles and the latest pedestrianisation will coincide with the opening of Crossrail - a new east-west train line.
In 2014, researchers from King's College London found Oxford Street was “the most polluted place on Earth”, even exceeding pollution levels in Beijing, according to a report from the Independent.