As London prepares for its most ambitious pedestrianisation project yet – the £150 million transformation of Oxford Street – few realise that the capital's experiment with car-free shopping began over a century ago.
In 1910, when Britain's love affair with the motorcar was just beginning and nearly 100,000 vehicles were already on the nation's roads, architect Robert Worley made a bold choice. In Bloomsbury, he created Sicilian Avenue: an elegant colonnaded street where cars would never be welcome.
Today, as Mayor Sadiq Khan's plans to pedestrianise Oxford Street gather momentum, this 115-year-old precursor offers valuable lessons. While Oxford Street's transformation will span nearly a mile of Europe's busiest shopping district, affecting half a million daily visitors, Sicilian Avenue's sympathetically restored 200-foot stretch of avenue stands as living proof of how removing vehicles from London's streets can create thriving urban spaces. With seven in 10 Londoners supporting Khan's vision, it seems the capital's residents understand what Worley knew: some London streets work better without cars.
Pedestrianisation and Safety
On the other hand, it’s not rocket science: people feel a far higher degree of safety and comfort in car-free spaces. Oxford Street currently sees one serious accident every month, and studies from around the world show that when cars are taken out of the equation, injuries and fatalities plummet. In New York’s Times Square, pedestrianisation caused a 63% fall in vehicular accidents.
But this isn’t just about safety; it's about the fundamental human desire for spaces where people can move freely without constantly looking over their shoulder, says Tanya Braun, Director of Policy and Communications for UK charity Living Streets.
“The pedestrianisation of Oxford Street is something Living Streets has campaigned for over many years,” Braun says. “The street has a legacy of traffic collisions and high pollution levels which is simply unacceptable for a world-renowned destination in 2025.”
Living Streets carries out research on walkability in the UK. Braun says that streets like Sicilian Avenue have helped show that, as well as making people safer, "pedestrianisation also creates opportunities for people to linger, chat, and browse. Our Pedestrian Pound research shows pedestrianised high streets see higher sales.”
Pedestrianisation and High Quality Experiences
The shift toward pedestrianisation particularly resonates with younger Londoners. Research commissioned by Tristan Capital Partners shows that Gen Z and Millennials (ages 16-43) are significantly more likely to choose car-free streets than their older counterparts, with 67% of millennials favouring pedestrianised areas compared to just 51% of baby boomers. This preference is even more pronounced in the business community, where 74% of professionals say they would choose a pedestrianised location for dining and meetings. The appeal isn't just about aesthetics – younger generations are notably more conscious of environmental factors, with nearly a third citing sustainable and environmentally friendly surroundings as important to their choice of venue.
London's appetite for high-quality experiences has grown markedly since 2019, with over half of visitors (52%) now more likely to seek out high-end dining experiences. This shift is particularly pronounced among younger professionals, with 64% of 25-34 year olds actively pursuing premium options. The reasons reflect a fundamental change in attitudes around the need for socialising and a feeling of ‘belonging.’
For businesses, the trend is even more striking – 58% of workers and business owners are more likely to seek higher-quality dining now than in 2019, rising to 82% among C-suite executives. Quality of service (70%) and ingredients (64%) have become key considerations, suggesting that post-pandemic London is ready for the kind of elevated experience that pedestrianisation can deliver.
Pedestrianisation Makes Good Business Sense
And as Braun points out, the economic argument for pedestrianisation is just as strong as the human case: wherever they’ve been studied, walkable areas make businesses more attractive to customers. A pedestrianised Oxford Street could increase the area’s economic output by £82 million annually and should create 800 new jobs. As a result, major retailers have enthusiastically endorsed the plans, recognising the potential for increased footfall and improved shopping experiences. Both Selfridges and John Lewis have thrown their support behind the proposals. John Lewis managing director Peter Ruis told media that the chain would “continue to invest significantly in our Oxford Street store” and that he believed pedestrianisation would “create a vibrant, thriving shopping environment.”
Of course, walkability doesn’t just boost retail: around Sicilian Avenue, research commissioned by property investor Tristan Capital Partners shows that diners simply feel better when they’re away from traffic: in a survey of 1,000 visitors to the capital, 63% said they’d prefer to choose a place to eat in a pedestrianised area, with 53% stating that pedestrianised streets are simply more pleasant to be on.
Little wonder, then, that when asked, 95% of London's business community and 88% of tourists said they would visit Sicilian Avenue specifically for high-quality dining. With 70,000 daily visitors passing through the area and 17,500 square feet of dining and al fresco space available, the location combines high footfall with the kind of car-free ambiance that diners increasingly demand. Added to this is the street's BREEAM Excellent certification – a level of efficiency that can reduce operating costs.
Councillor Adam Harrison, Councillor for Bloomsbury ward and Cabinet Member for Planning and a Sustainable Camden, says: “Since 1910, Sicilian Avenue has shown London how pedestrian-friendly areas can improve both the lives of residents and those who work and travel through them. This approach also supports our transport strategy, which is investing in more environmentally friendly, healthier forms of travel and creating more welcoming streets and neighbourhoods.”
With data showing that areas around pedestrianised zones see significant increases in footfall and dwell time, Oxford Street and Sicilian Avenue, which stand, just 20 minutes’ walking apart, stand to complement one another, with increased foot traffic flowing between these two historic commercial districts.
In Sicilian Avenue's case, visitor numbers have consistently grown, with current figures showing the area attracts more than 4,000 visitors per hour. High foot traffic, combined with the avenue's unique character, creates an ideal environment for businesses looking to establish a prestigious London presence. The avenue's strategic location in Bloomsbury - a 7-min walk from Tottenham Court Road, a 90 second hop from Holborn Station, and a 6-min amble from the UK’s no.1 attraction The British Museum - it is perfectly positioned to capture this enhanced pedestrian movement.
While a newly walkable Oxford Street won’t be with us until at least 2027, this year Sicilian Avenue will start welcoming visitors to the street that’s been ahead of its time for over a century. It’s an enduring testament to the value of putting people before vehicles, right in the heart of the British capital.