Living Streets is calling for more cities to follow the example of Transport for London (TfL) as it prepares to start the pedestrianisation of Oxford Street next week.
The scheme will see a 0.7-mile stretch of the central London street between Oxford Circus and Marble Arch closed to traffic.
Living Streets has campaigned for over a decade for ‘the nation's high street' to be pedestrianised to improve safety and accessibility.
The charity said that Oxford Street has experienced the ‘highest known concentration' of nitrogen dioxide air pollution recorded anywhere in the world and is a road danger ‘hotspot'.
According to its Pedestrian Pound research the local economy benefits when streets are designed to better accommodate people walking and wheeling: a day-long closure of Oxford Street in September 2025 saw an increase in footfall by 45%, with 80% of visitors reporting having a positive experience and feeling safe, while 77% said the experience improved their perception of the famous road.
Catherine Woodhead, chief executive of Living Streets, said: ‘For too long, vehicles have been prioritised over people, making the street unsafe and polluted. By making it easier for people to walk, we can create a healthier environment while attracting business and economic growth. Putting people first on one of the country's most famous streets will hopefully inspire a whole host of walkable high streets across the UK.'
Cat Kenyon, Central London Living Streets group leader, added: ‘Pedestrianising Oxford Street is a great first step, but we need to see this ambition replicated in high streets across the West End and London.
‘Other European cities like Paris and Barcelona have over double the length of pedestrian streets in comparison to London. From Soho, Fitzrovia, Mayfair to Marylebone, there are many spaces that would benefit from prioritising people over traffic.
‘Central London Living Streets will be bringing together major educational, cultural and health institutions, alongside businesses from across London to build on the ambition in Oxford Street and to champion more people-friendly and accessible spaces in the capital.'
