Oxford Street pedestrianisation plans could see cyclists excluded, admits London cycling and walking commissioner

Bizarre comments from Will Norman and those saying that they avoid Oxford Street by bike ATM.

Of course the bikes avoid it now because of the busses... But the busses/cars/taxis won't be there if they ban them, which will make it hugely attractive to cyclists.

It's crackers that they are fairly ok with the current 270 busses/hour (if they weren't then the bus ban would be an emergency measure) but the thought of a 4m bike road and the remaining area pedestrianised is too dangerous​to consider.

Cycled down it this week for first time in years. 270 buses an hour! Where are they going to go under the proposals? Major reconfiguration of bus routes too, presumably.

in reply to Jackson, I used to commute from Sheperds Bush to Bethnal Green. Eventually settled on a more northerly route. Sussex Gdns, Crawford St, Weymouth St. All very messy, and different routes on the return. Better than Oxford St though, which looking at a map is the only obvious east west route.

Think that now I would go with Beezus' suggestion through the park and on to the Strand. 

Genuine question, what's the best cycle route for getting from the City to Shepherd's Bush because currently I am going down Oxford St and it really is as awful as everyone has said.

You probably don't need to ban cyclists as most would likely avoid as pointed out above.

It would be nice to have the option to cycle down there though - I'm thinking pre and post shopping hours in particular.... and of course cycling down at 2am with the Xmas lights on.

You don't always need a rule to get the desired result

This is, as WW and others have already stated, a Good Thing.

I would rather share space with particulate belching buses and beligerent taxi and uber drivers than with the particular breed of pedestrian you get on Oxford Street. 

At least the vehicular traffic is reasonably predictable in its level of beligerence, and therefore relatively safe to navigate through if you're defensive (not withstanding the fact that Oxford St is intersected by Regent St - a road frequented by hair stylists in borrowed Nissan Jukes who can't see a cyclist right in front of them, even after they have bounced off the bonnet).

Oxford Street shoppers/tourists on the other hand are predictable only in their unpredictability. Random direction changes, stopping suddenly, iphone zombies, selfie starlets, reluctant locals on a mission to get from A to B barging through, golf sale sandwich board slaves... Horrible place. Not somewhere anyone in their right mind would try to ride a bike.

A bit of an aside but…. Some years ago the town I was living in at the time experimented with pedestrianizing its main shopping street on a Saturday – A great idea – except for…… the majority of people were so conditioned to the world of cars that they kept resolutely to the pavements, only stepping on to the empty road to cross it.

Oxford Street has never been a good street for cycling on - too much pollution, too many buses & taxis, too many traffic lights, too many pedestrians crossing or walking on it because the pavements can't cope with their numbers. Pedestrianisation won't make it any better for cycling on, but it will most certainly be safer and cleaner for everyone working and shopping there, which are the primary goals.

I've worked next to it for years but I've mostly avoided cycling on it and I never cycle there to shop. I even avoid walking there when I visit my client based across from Selfridges, preferring to use the calmer parallel routes.

However what I'd like to see is more and better provision for bike parking on all the side streets so that it can be an attractive destination if people wish to cycle there either for work or shopping.

Total nightmare along Oxford St currently, I can't imagine a pedestrian only zone would improve the pavement retail zombie situation.

Shifting vehicles north or south will worsen the already squeezed road space on the adjacent streets for bikes.

The recent cycle lanes to the West at Lancaster Gate are clunky if serviceable, but need to continue through Holborn at least  The New Oxford St junction is cyclist hell, totally unfit for purpose and far better to use the empty streets by Gower St and the British museum, even if dodging tourists as they step out from behind the coach looking the wrong way. It's all ad hoc however. We all know about Tavistock Sq  

We need simple, clear & navigable infrastructure here.  I'm not normally a cycle lane advocate but this part of London desperately needs a fundamental cycling rethink. Shared/mixed use paths will not work here. But I think we will all have to compromise. 

Anyone with half a brain avoids Oxford Street like the plague no matter what their mode of transport.

Will Norman: so many words to say precisely Fuck All.

Entirely agree with WW, I visit London most weeks, and cycle from St Pancras to Bond St, never along Oxford St as it is so horrible.  The two parallel routes are better, I use both, and a solution like the lanes near Tavistock would be great 

probably for the best pedestrians on oxford street step out without looking, remove buses and taxis and you might as well try and ride through a shopping centre.