Rise in spending on traffic-free Oxford Street, figures show

Dan Hills, chief executive of Market Halls on Oxford Street, said pedestrianisation has had a “really positive immediate impact” on trading, with footfall up 29% and sales up 25% week on week.

“It’s a big change, it will take some time to bed in, but I do think and I do hope it will be positive for all retailers on the street,” he added.

However, critics of the scheme have raised concerns about its wider impact on journeys through the West End, particularly for bus passengers and other road users.

“The mayor, through his publicity machine, is predictably celebrating increased footfall on Oxford Street, but it hardly merits his description of ‘staggering’ early results,” said Michael Bolt, of the Marylebone Association.

“Our examination of the revised bus timetables reveals a very different picture from the one presented by the mayor.

“The public was told that most bus journey times would change by a minute or less. Yet TfL’s new timetables allow an additional seven to nine minutes for journeys on route 98, increases of up to 53%.”

He added: “We would also question the timing of this announcement.

“Oxford Street has now been closed for two full weeks, yet the mayor has chosen to publish results from only the first week, which coincided with school half-term.

“The second week, when schools had reopened and normal weekday traffic returned, would surely provide a more representative picture of the consequences for surrounding streets.”

Shoppers have also raised concerns about accessibility, and whether the re-routed buses and new bus stops and taxi ranks, installed about 200m and 100m from the pedestrianised area respectively, would be enough to support disabled shoppers.

And there continues to be concerns about cyclists using the street.

Tom Fyans, from the London Cycling Campaign, previously told BBC London: “You’re going to get a handful who are not going to follow the rules and we need to keep working on that.”