Oxford Street goes traffic-free: dates, bus diversions and what changes

Oxford Street is about to change, and Londoners planning a shopping trip, a shift at work or a journey across the West End should check their route before the weekend. Traffic diversions begin on Sunday evening, 25 October, ahead of the first pedestrianised section opening on Monday 26 October 2026. The key detail is the boundary: this phase covers Orchard Street to Great Portland Street, rather than the whole shopping street.

Sunday evening first, Monday morning next

TfL says traffic will be diverted between Portman Street and Winsley Street from 8pm on Sunday 25 October. By Monday morning, the traffic-free area will narrow to the permanent first-phase boundaries at Orchard Street and Great Portland Street. Anyone meeting friends on Sunday should agree a specific shop entrance or station exit, rather than assuming a familiar bus stop will still be in use.

Which buses are changing?

From 1am on Saturday 24 October, routes 7, N7, 94, N113 and N137 will terminate at Marble Arch. From 8pm on Sunday, routes 98, 139, 390, N98 and N207 will use alternative roads, serving stops on Wigmore Street, Henrietta Place and Cavendish Place. TfL places alternative stops approximately 200 metres from the pedestrian area.

Other services also have stop or route adjustments. Check your exact service in TfL Go or Journey Planner, including the return journey. A familiar route number does not necessarily mean the same boarding point, and looking up the stop before leaving a shop is easier than discovering a diversion when the bus is due.

The overnight diversions are a separate change

Between 8pm on Sunday and 6am on Monday, additional temporary changes apply. Routes 55, 73, N55 and N73 will terminate at Tottenham Court Road; 159, N109 and N136 at Piccadilly Circus; and N8 and N25 at Holborn. The Residents’ Society of Mayfair and St James’s also lists 12 and N15 ending at Trafalgar Square, and 22 and N22 at Hyde Park Corner during that overnight period.

These overnight arrangements accompany preparations for the traffic-free scheme and installation of festive lights on Regent Street. They should not be confused with the longer-term diversions. If you are travelling home after dinner or a show, check the time as well as the day when planning your route.

Taxis, bikes and deliveries: who can enter?

TfL’s published rules make the new restriction a round-the-clock arrangement, seven days a week. Motor vehicles, taxis, private-hire vehicles, bicycles, scooters and pedicabs cannot enter the traffic-free section. Emergency vehicles retain access at any time. Delivery and servicing vehicles have a permitted window from midnight until 7am, subject to the designated routes and loading rules.

That delivery window is not permission to drive in for ordinary parking or a passenger pick-up. TfL warns that stopping for something other than loading can result in a penalty charge. Arrange taxi meeting points outside the restricted section and follow the signs on the day. Mobility scooters remain permitted, according to TfL’s travel advice.

What will the new Oxford Street look like?

The Oxford Street Development Corporation describes this as the beginning of a phased transformation of almost a kilometre of street. Removing through traffic is the first step, with further improvements planned around seating, rest areas, trees and clearer signs. Construction is intended to be limited during the busy Christmas shopping period.

The initial public-space arrangements are temporary so the team can learn from how the area is used. Residents, workers, businesses and accessibility groups are among those whose feedback will inform later design decisions. A transitional scheme is expected by the end of spring 2027. Monday’s launch therefore does not mean every element of the finished streetscape will already be installed.

Plan the final part of your journey

Nearby rail options include Bond Street, Oxford Circus, Tottenham Court Road and Marble Arch. Bond Street and Tottenham Court Road offer step-free access. Choose the station that suits the actual address you are visiting, and check lift availability and any service disruption before travelling.

For a group visit, send everyone the same meeting point and allow a little more time for the final walk or wheel from the station or replacement stop. For workers, checking the route before the first shift after the change can remove an avoidable last-minute problem. Use the official updates linked in this guide for current arrangements, rather than relying on an old screenshot of a bus map.