Oxford Street one-day traffic-free trial was a roaring success, says Sadiq Khan - after 12 survey replies

"A survey by the New West End Company, the business improvement district for the area and a supporter of the mayor's plans, found 67 per cent of stores on Oxford Street reported similar or higher sales during the event, compared with a typical Sunday. However only 12 Oxford Street stores replied to the anonymous survey and six of them did not formally take part in the September 21 event, such as by offering special deals, though they were open to shoppers."

"This traffic free day on Oxford Street was a celebration of everything that makes our dynamic city great and showed the huge appetite for a cleaner, more welcoming and more prosperous West End. These fantastic statistics prove that when people are put at the heart of Oxford Street, without traffic, the area thrives and businesses benefit. That's why I am moving forward with my proposals to pedestrianise Oxford Street and revitalise the area as quickly as I can."

"Separate data from Transport for London did show that the number of Tube journeys recorded at Oxford Circus, Bond Street and Mable Arch stations was about 25 per cent higher than the previous Sunday and the same Sunday a year earlier. There was a small reduction in bus passengers, due to the need to curtail a number of routes, including those that run along Oxford Street."

New West End Company survey found 67 per cent of Oxford Street stores reported similar or higher sales during the traffic-free event compared with a typical Sunday, though only 12 Oxford Street stores replied and six did not formally take part. Transport for London data showed Tube journeys at Oxford Circus, Bond Street and Mable Arch stations were about 25 per cent higher than the previous Sunday. Bus passenger numbers fell slightly because several routes, including those along Oxford Street, were curtailed. The company estimated a 45 per cent increase in footfall and said 83 per cent of surveyed stores would consider future events. City Hall and the mayor called the event a success and cited the figures to support pedestrianisation plans.

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