London’s mayor pushed ahead with plans to pedestrianize the city’s most famous shopping street, part of a global move toward banning cars from parts of big cities.
Half a million shoppers visit Oxford Street a day; Sadiq Khan wants to block traffic from its busiest section, arguing that it will boost footfall, reduce pollution, and generally make it more pleasant.
London is not alone: Parisians voted overwhelmingly last year to make 500 streets pedestrian only, New York City has a growing pedestrianization movement, and Bogotá, Milan, San Francisco, and Sydney have all reduced the areas given over to cars in recent years.
Pedestrianization often faces local political hurdles, but is usually hailed as a success once implemented, The Guardian argued.