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Plans to transform Oxford Street into a pedestrianised boulevard to rival Paris or New York’s shopping districts by Christmas next year were finally published today.

The famous section of Europe’s busiest shopping street between Oxford Circus and Orchard Street would be the first to become predominantly traffic-free.

However, north and south routes across Oxford Street will be retained after businesses and locals raised concerns about gridlock on nearby side-streets.

Londoners today hailed the plans, which would also see cyclists being forced to dismount on the pedestrianised stretch. But residents' groups remained concerned about traffic being forced into the surrounding areas.

The Mayor and Westminster City Council will also begin a consultation next year on pedestrianising the section towards Tottenham Court Road.

The proposals for the traffic-free Western section include new seating areas and raising the existing street to pavement level to make it more accessible.

An 800 metre-long work of public art, acting as a centrepiece along the entire length of the pedestrianised section, could be commissioned.

There will also be new public spaces, cycle lanes, improved pedestrian crossings, wider pavements and extra taxi ranks across the wider West End.

The first pedestrianised section will coincide with the launch of Elizabeth line services - and increased visitor numbers - through central London in December 2018.

What Londoners think of the plans: Shannon Matthews, 24, an assistant manager at Body Shop from West Norwood. “It would be easier for local retailers and businesses because there will naturally be more pedestrians able to have full access of the road, which means more potential business. “In places like New York it really works, so if it’s tried and tested here with consultation between customers and retailers then it can only be positive. “The only real con I can see is that if there are lazier customers or people with a disability who would normally access the road by using a bus or tuk tuk.” Ajay Verma, 27, a black cab driver from Essex “It would be a negative to take taxis off that stretch of the road and we’d miss out on work, because a lot of tourists come to that spot. “If I’m not able to travel down there then I won’t be able to meet the demand. “There will be complications near the Regent Street junction where it connects to Oxford Street because it will become a lot more congested and there will be even more frustrated drivers - which London definitely doesn’t need.” Robinson Perez, 31, a sales assistant at Accessorize from Hackney “Customers being able to walk freely and not having to dodge cars or buses will bring in more business for local retailers. “The stations are close enough together that there’s ways around getting from one section of the pedestrianised stretch without too much problem. “With Oxford Street being one of the worst polluted streets in London due to traffic it will help the environment. But it could also increase traffic flow and congestion in surrounding streets, which could be problematic.” Ania Staniszewska, 27, an office assistant from Stoke Newington “Opening the entire road up to pedestrians will make the pavement less congested, which is already an issue. “But taking away buses, cars and taxis will cause problems with getting from one end of Oxford Street to the other, because not everyone likes to use the underground. “Having the option to use over ground public transport has always been there, and to take it away will just cause problems in neighbouring streets by increasing traffic there.” Claire Hazelwood, 19, a nanny from Shepherd’s Bush “It’s a great idea because there’s always so many issues walking down Oxford Street due to lack of pavement space, so it will open the area up and allow people to walk and shop more freely. “London is already fairly pedestrian friendly, but making one of the busiest main streets in the city more accessible and less dangerous for pedestrians can only be a good thing. “It’s going with the trend of other cities in the world.” Jacob Quinn, 23, an account manager from Southgate “It would be a good thing to decrease traffic congestion on the road because the area is prone to accidents and pedestrians being hit by cars at the moment. “It will bring in so many more shoppers so businesses can only benefit. “Opening up the street to pedestrian only would also open the possibility of having more going on in terms of buskers and markets along the street like they have in European cities.”

Transport for London has already reduced the number of buses running along Oxford Street by 40 per cent and will cut the number further after Crossrail opens.

There will then be just two routes - bus numbers 139 and 390 - which will be rerouted to run along nearby Wigmore Street, Henrietta Place and Cavendish Square instead.

New taxi ranks would be set up close to Oxford Street so black cabs can drop off and pick up shoppers - overall the number of ranks in the area will increase by 20 per cent.

Cyclists would be banned from the street, unless they dismount, although TfL will consult on new cycle routes just to the north and south next summer.

Sadiq Khan said: “This is a hugely exciting moment for the capital. Oxford Street is world famous with millions of visitors every year, and in just over a year the iconic part of the street west of Oxford Circus could be transformed into a traffic-free pedestrian boulevard.

“Whether you’re a local resident, a business, or shop in some of the area’s famous stores, our plans will make the area substantially cleaner and safer for everyone, creating one of the finest public spaces in the world”.

Westminster deputy leader Robert Davis added: “We listened to what people said as part of the first consultation and we now want to hear from as many people as possible about what they think about the detailed plans before we take any final decisions.”

Jace Tyrell, chief executive of the New West End Company which lobbied to keep the north/south crossings for traffic, said: “After years of campaigning, it’s excellent news finally to see commitment from our politicians to a game-changing transformation of Oxford Street.

“Removing the wall of red buses will reduce congestion and improve air quality - improvements which must also be capitalised on across Regent Street, Bond Street and the wider West End”.

However, residents groups remained concerned about traffic being forced into the surrounding areas of Marylebone, Fitzrovia, Mayfair and Soho.

A spokesman for Better Oxford Street said: “What sort of reality does the Mayor live in where he thinks that all this traffic should be taken out of an almost 100 per cent commercial area and pushed through its surrounding residential streets? Shifting congestion, pollution and road safety issues rather than tackling them is unacceptable.

“Despite the results of the first consultation, this gradual development has now turned into a headlong rush to pedestrianise the street all day, every day, with no solutions to the damage threatening residents and businesses or to the myriad accessibility issues”.

Independent air quality assessments have been carried out in preparation. Simon Gillespie of the British Heart Foundation said: “This is an important step towards tackling air pollution on one of the busiest streets in the UK. Initiatives like this encourage people to walk and be active”.

Earlier this year, almost 12,000 people responded to the first public consultation on the transformation of the Oxford Street district. More than 60 per cent supported the plans but many raised concerns about access for local residents and congestion.

The second public consultation closes on 17 December, 2017.