WITH the new academic year underway, Transport for London (TfL) is celebrating a record number of schools that have gained or retained Gold accreditation with its educational programme TfL Travel for ...

Mayor of London lays out plans for a licensing scheme for e-bike operators in the capital amid anger at badly parked or abandoned bikes

London is set to move towards a single regulatory framework for dockless e-bikes after Mayor Sadiq Khan outlined plans for Transport for London (TfL) to take control of licensing across the capital on...

The London mayor said a kilometer of the capital city’s road will be traffic free from next month.

The London mayor said a kilometer of the capital city's road will be traffic free from next month.

The Mayor of London said Britain’s most famous shopping road will be mostly pedestrianised from October 26

A 1km section of Britain’s busiest high street is being made vehicle-free from next month (Picture: Mayor of London/PA Wire) Sadiq Khan has revealed how soon you’ll be able to take a casual stroll down Europe’s busiest shopping street. Cars, buses, taxis and bicycles will all disappear from Oxford Street by October 26, as the London Mayor pushes through his flagship project to transform the thoroughfare. A one-kilometre stretch of the street will go vehicle-free in the initial step, known as the ‘transition phase’, after being green-lit in February. While the road has previously been pedestrianised temporarily as part of trials, this will be the first time such a change will be permanent. Lord Khan said: ‘Following strong support from Londoners and businesses, I’m excited to see my bold vision for Oxford Street really coming to life next month as we start going traffic-free, just in time for the busy Christmas shopping period.’ But how will it be done? Cars, buses and cycles will all be set to be banished from Oxford Street by the second half of October (Picture: EPA) ## How much of Oxford Street will be pedestrianised? In the initial phase, vehicles will be banished from the entire section between Selfridges near the Marble Arch end and Great Portland Street, just east of Oxford Circus. This includes Oxford Circus itself, where Oxford Street intersects with the also busy but wider Regent Street. Not only will cars be banned from traversing the shopping thoroughfare, but the street’s ten bus lines will also be re-routed to avoid the section. There will be some exceptions – emergency services will continue to have access to all areas of the street. Servicing vehicles such as delivery trucks will be allowed entry between midnight and 7am. ## Latest London news * You can now snap up £12 train tickets from London to 'vibrant' UK city * Putney Pusher suspect found dead after being released under investigation * Buckingham Palace's hidden treasures uncovered by workmen _**To get the latest news from the capital, visit Metro's** London news hub._ Push bikes, e-bikes and e-scooters will not be allowed through the new pedestrianised section, TfL has confirmed, with new cycleways under development. Cars will still be able to cross Oxford Street at certain points, including on Duke Street, Davies Street and New Bond Street, although some junctions will be one-way. Pedestrianised sections of Oxford Street will also be revamped with new planters and seating areas to replace the traffic lanes. The Greater London Authority says the scheme could generate up to £40million in VAT receipts, as well as £20million extra in business rates. Pedestrians were previously given a taste of a transformed Oxford Street during a trial day last year (Picture: Jeff Moore/PA Wire) ## When will Oxford Street be pedestrianised? Lord Khan said: ‘I’m delighted that on 26 October the transformation of the nation’s high street into a pedestrian plaza will begin in earnest – a world-class space where flagship retail will sit alongside next-generation workplaces, designed to host exciting retail and leisure experiences from sport to fashion and cultural events in the future’ The Oxford Street Development Corporation (OSDC), led by a board of both political figures and business leaders, wants the road to be vehicle-free by the end of October. Before that can happen, TfL needs to carry out street improvements and realignments, including changing the direction of traffic on some roads and relocating bus stops. However, this first step will be the ‘transition phase’ to iron out any potential problems, as the long-term future of Britain’s busiest high street is considered. Following resistance from residents and Westminster City Council, the Mayor of London placed control of the new programme in the hands of the OSDC. Last month, the OSDC took control of planning. All applications, from redevelopments to store frontage changes, will now be considered by the authority instead of the council. On its website, the OSDC promises a ‘leaner, greener Oxford Street with spaces for events, rest and relaxation and activations as well as retail’. As well as the new public realm created by the pedestrianisation, the project is slated to establish two new public squares, although their exact locations have yet to be revealed. During the initial testing phase, visitors and businesses will be asked to give feedback until the changes are made permanent in 2027. ## How are buses affected? Buses are to be re-routed (Picture: Getty Images) Ten different bus routes currently run through Oxford Street day and night; however, all will be re-routed to avoid the pedestrianised area. According to plans published by TfL, numbers 7, 94, 98, 139 and 390, as well as N7, N98, N113, N137, N207 will all be redirected down Wigmore Street and Henrietta Place at the rear of John Lewis. Buses will rejoin Oxford Street at Great Titchfield Street on the other side of Oxford Circus, with the exception of no 139, which will continue its route on Regent Street. Passengers will need to walk an additional distance of around 100 to 200 metres to the new bus stops. The pedestrianisation has its opponents, namely the now Conservative-led council, which believes the plans will increase pollution in the surrounding areas and create traffic bottlenecks elsewhere. Councillor Tim Barnes, deputy leader of Westminster City Council, has criticised the plans. He said: ‘While we finally now have a timetable for the proposed pedestrianisation, Westminster City Council, residents and businesses on Oxford Street still have a long list of unanswered questions about how it will work. ‘If this is going to be the “greener, better and more prosperous” success that the Mayor has promised, then issues around access, air pollution, street cleaning and public safety, need answers urgently.’ ‘Right now there’s a danger that we will have all of the downsides and too little upside. Traffic will be pushed to the small streets nearby causing economic and environmental harm. ‘We are writing to the Oxford Street Development Corporation with our serious concerns now it is obvious the Mayor is rushing preparations with little time left.’ Comment now Comments Add Metro as a Preferred Source on Google Add as preferred source

The date that road traffic will be banned from a large section of Oxford Street has been announced – as Monday 26th October 2026.

Nearly 1km of the road will be car-free.

Sir Sadiq Khan has described it as a "bold new approach" for London's bus system

The Willesden to Victoria service will become the first route run by TfL’s new company when it starts work in late 2027.

Buses for London will first run services on Route 6 between Victoria Station and Willesden and may be rolled out across the capital

TfL unveils Buses for London, a new publicly owned bus company, with Route 6 and Park Royal Depot set to launch in 2027.

London’s rental e-scooter trial has moved into its third phase with Voi and Lime to continue operating the service for the next two years.

The SL12 Superloop bus route, which will run between Gants Hill and Rainham in east London, will open on September 5

Heads up, east Londoners.

London’s twelfth Superloop bus service, linking Gants Hill with Rainham, will start running next month, with a week of free travel to start.

TfL's new Superloop SL12 express bus will connect north-east and east London with faster journeys, electric buses and improved transport links.

The Transport for London (TfL) Superloop express bus network will expand further on 5 September with commencement of the SL12 route.

Critics said I was attacking motorists. It’s more important for me that the city’s children are no longer breathing dangerous levels of pollution, says London mayor Sadiq Khan

Researchers find capacity stunted by pollution restored after introduction of ultra-low emission zone

London Mayor Sir Sadiq Khan has spoken out after research showed that the capital's Ulez scheme had helped improve lung growth in children and cut emissions. A new study from Queen Mary University of London found that improvements in air quality following the introduction of the Ultra Low Emission Zone has had a huge impact on children's health. ### The research involved more than 3,400 children between the ages of six and nine from 84 primary schools across London and Luton. Researchers measured and monitored the size of the children's lungs at annual school visits from 2018 to 2022 to identify the impact of air quality changes on lung development. ### TRENDING Stories Videos Your Say ### The study followed the introduction of the Ulez in London and showed that children in the capital had "significantly smaller" lungs than those living in Luton, which acted as the comparison site. Data found that after the implementation of the emissions-based charging zone in London, children's lung size and health improved "to be comparable with that of children in Luton". Within five years of the Ulez being introduced, London children's exposure to NO2 fell twice as fast and more than twice as much compared to those in Luton. Commenting on the data, London Mayor Sir Sadiq Khan, who has been a vocal supporter of the Ulez since its inception, described the findings as "incredible". ### ### ### Taking to social media site X, formerly known as Twitter, the Mayor said: "This stopped me in my tracks. "An independent study by QMUL has found that after Ulez was introduced, children's lungs grew faster in Central London and have now caught up with children outside of the capital. Incredible." The study also looked at the proportion of children with clinically impaired lung function, which fell from 14 per cent to just nine per cent in London. During the same time period, the proportion in Luton fell from nine per cent to seven per cent, appearing to show that the Ulez scheme had a meaningful impact. ### LATEST DEVELOPMENTS * Number plate changes weeks away as drivers risk £1,000 fine and MOT failure * Chinese car brand Chery to launch major new UK facility within months - 'Next step' * Drivers slapped with £100,000 in court costs after being caught by smart motorway cameras ### ### ### Researchers from QMUL stated that the study was the "first evidence" that clean air zones may benefit child development. The report, which has been published in The Lancet Public Health, suggested that clean air zones should be implemented "more widely to protect and promote children's lifelong health". Professor Chris Griffiths, Professor of Primary Care at the University of Oxford and at Queen Mary University of London, and joint senior author, said: "Traffic pollution in cities damages children's health and development. "We provide the strongest evidence yet on how these harms can be prevented. Ambitious clean air zones should be considered a priority for cities globally with traffic-related air pollution." ### ### ### The study involved researchers from QMUL in collaboration with Imperial College London and the Universities of Bedfordshire, Oxford, Cambridge, Edinburgh and Southern California and was funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research. Dr Helen Wood, Research Fellow at Queen Mary and lead author, added: "We already knew that the Ulez reduced air pollution but now we know that children's lung health has improved at the same time, which is a really important finding for children and parents living in London. "However, we must not be complacent - air pollution in both London and Luton – as well as other cities across the UK – remains above WHO guideline levels, so there is still work to be done." ### **Our Standards: The GB News Editorial Charter**

Sir Sadiq Khan says it proves he was right to push forward with the scheme and its controversial extension to cover the whole of the capital.

Researchers find capacity stunted by pollution was restored after introduction of ultra-low emission zone Children’s lungs grew bigger and stronger after the most polluting vehicles were restricted from entering London, a study has found. Examinations of London schoolchildren before and after the introduction of the city’s ultra-low emission zone (Ulez) found a restoration of lung capacity that had been stunted by exposure to pollution. Continue reading...

Ulez's success must be a call to action to carry on in our efforts to improve the air in the UK, writes London mum and clean air campaigner Ruth.

Researchers find capacity stunted by pollution restored after introduction of ultra-low emission zone

Tomorrow, 19th August, marks ten years since Transport for London (TfL) launched the Night Tube service.

London’s Night Tube marks 10 years, with more than 67 million journeys supporting the capital’s night-time economy and cultural life.

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Transport for London (TfL) has published findings from the Silvertown & Blackwall Tunnels Monitoring Report, outlining the benefits of the crossing – which opened in April 2025. The post Silvertown Tunnel one year on: peak journey times reduced by up to 58 per cent, TfL reports appeared first on New Civil Engineer.

TfL says the new crossing has met many of its objectives, including faster journeys and increased public transport use, while acknowledging that some traffic has been diverted onto alternative river crossings.

A new TfL report shows the Silvertown Tunnel has reduced congestion, improved air quality and increased cross-river bus travel across east London during its first year.

But the offer's only fleeting.

Here’s everything you need to know about the Weekend Hopper scheme on London transport

The government says the policy will "help with the cost of living and give people the breathing space they need"

Here’s everything you need to know about the Weekend Hopper scheme launching this weekend